William Taylor could hardly believe his eyes; was he dreaming?
Why, in the face of the relentless storm unleashed by Renly, was it Vin who was retreating step by step? Why was Renly holding his own in a head-to-head clash with Vin? Why was their close-quarters combat style so sharp, with blood actually splattering, looking incredibly realistic?
Why did a straightforward confrontation, devoid of all fancy moves, look so good and make one's blood boil? Why was Renly so agile, effortlessly handling Vin despite his clear strength advantage? Why did the bare-knuckle brawl between these two men have the audience on the edge of their seats, as if there were spikes in their chairs?
Why was the most exciting scene in a movie like "Fast & Furious" a hand-to-hand fight? Why did this unarmed battle exude a sense of life-or-death excitement and danger? Why was this fight so exhilarating?
On the big screen, Hobbs and Dominic finally faced off head-on, engaging in a bare-knuckle duel. Every punch landed, every move was lethal, with no holds barred. What was even more incredible was that this confrontation had genuinely created a stand-off!
It wasn't the kind of choreographed fight where martial arts directors had designed flashy moves that looked intense but had limited real impact. It wasn't a situation where one side took the hits to make it appear balanced or where stunt doubles were used. It wasn't an acrobatic display of punches and kicks meant solely for show.
This battle on screen released a continuous surge of testosterone like a volcanic eruption. Sweat and blood sprayed through the air, fierce glares, bulging muscles, and passionate intensity unleashed the pure and primal masculinity, captivating everyone's attention. No one dared to blink, fearing they'd miss a single detail.
"Ahh!" The screams came as Hobbs launched himself into the air, his whole body soaring as he brought his fist crashing down on Dominic like a tiger pouncing from a mountain. A sequence of blood splattered from Dominic's forehead.
Those who understood the craft could see that it was real blood, not post-production effects or makeup blood. The documentary-like granularity and fragmented editing style let the raw masculinity flow freely like a river. A small group of spectators in the Chinese Theater couldn't help but scream.
Not only the female audience but also the male viewers couldn't contain their excitement, letting out low growls. Their deep, hoarse roars caused the oxygen inside the theater to gradually heat up.
William was unaware that he had clenched his fists tightly, with every muscle in his body stretched to the limit, like a drawn bowstring, constantly ready to release. His muscles were beginning to ache due to the extreme tension, but he couldn't feel it. All of his attention was firmly fixed on the big screen.
Adrenaline coursed through him like a Fourth of July fireworks display, and it just wouldn't stop!
Hope was completely stunned; on the screen, this man with an aura as mighty as a hurricane and an iron-willed dominance possessed the kind of masculinity that could tear through the theater's screen, break the fourth wall, and shock every single audience member. The man on the screen was not Renly, but Luke Hobbs.
This ignited a burning fire in Hope's veins, and adrenaline surged through her. This feeling was entirely unfamiliar, something she had never experienced before, at least not while watching a movie. Yet, it was so marvelous, making her involuntarily clench her fists as the rush of excitement coursed through her.
Rick Moore, a movie critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, finally broke into a smile.
Spectacular, truly incredibly spectacular! It was beyond anyone's imagination that the most thrilling part of the entire film was not the car chases but a hand-to-hand combat sequence. More accurately, it was a combat sequence led by Hobbs. Although this character didn't appear frequently, each appearance showcased a different charm, gradually filling him out and making him complete and three-dimensional. He exploded with ruggedness, fierceness, and intensity in this battle, thoroughly delivering the climax and excitement of a popcorn movie.
It was unbelievable that the seemingly gentlemanly Renly was so agile and brutal, even Vin struggled to keep up. This made Rick think of a young Keanu Reeves, no, it should be a young Tom Cruise. In the early days of the "Mission: Impossible" series, Tom's graceful and agile fighting style could be seen, but as time passed, this style was slowly fading away.
Recalling how Renly had replaced "The Rock" in "Fast 5", how many people had ridiculed him back then? Now, it seemed that Renly was likely the highlight of this movie. Rick couldn't help but think of all the recent buzz in the news. He started to look forward to the media's reactions after the movie's release.
"Ah!"
The exclamation from the audience interrupted Rick's brief but intense thoughts. He then saw Dominic viciously swing a wrench towards Hobbs' head, causing a collective gasp from the audience. In their peripheral vision, he even noticed many people leaning forward, their expressions filled with terror.
Fortunately, at the last moment, Dominic's swing veered off course. "Phew," countless viewers let out a long sigh of relief, slumping back into their seats.
However, this relief lasted only for a short time. The movie entered its final phase, and a whirlwind of action sequences followed, one climax after another. The ultimate showdown had finally arrived, but it did so in a way that left everyone in awe.
As everyone pondered how they would break into the police station, open the vault, and transport the money, a plot like this had appeared countless times in Hollywood movies. Trying to bring something fresh to the table, aiming to amaze the audience, and attempting to innovate, rather than resorting to clichés like "heists" or "spy thrillers," was certainly not an easy task. Moreover, how to integrate this with the "Fast & Furious" franchise, establish a unique brand identity, and differentiate it from other action films like "Ocean's Eleven" or "Mission: Impossible" was the most challenging part.
Then, the audience realized they were way too young. This was Hollywood, where creativity flowed freely and anything was possible.
On the big screen, Dominic and Brian were each driving a car, towing a vault the size of a house. They hit the city streets, pushed the accelerator to the max, and embarked on a high-speed chase. The cries of excitement in the theater were deafening, and they echoed incessantly.
This was simply unheard of!
In the midst of the police cars' pursuit and ambush, Dominic and Brian had to remain vigilant at all times, avoiding getting surrounded and steering clear of gunfire. They also had to make careful choices about which streets to take, ensuring they stayed in sync, or they would fall apart. Most importantly, the weight of the vault was not to be underestimated; under the pull of gravity, it was like a bulldozer, turning Rio de Janeiro into rubble.
Roaring engines and high-speed sprints in a straight line filled the air with the deafening sound of engines, causing the audience's blood to race. The pounding impact of the pursuing vehicles in dire straits always found a glimmer of hope, and the thrilling moments made warm sweat seep from their palms. The vault's reckless rampage, driven by inertia, turned an entire building into a cloud of dust, even more violent and impactful than an explosion, with metal splinters and continuous detonations, adrenaline surging one wave after another. There was no stopping it.
Even the seasoned Kyle Smith was left in awe. Such a scene had never been seen in the history of Hollywood movies. The imagination was admirable, and the execution was simply astounding. It truly pushed the essence of popcorn movies to the extreme, and the surge of adrenaline reached an unprecedented peak at that moment.
Kyle couldn't help but tilt his head and marvel at it. Sometimes, there were advantages to simplicity, right?
"Wow!" Hope couldn't help but exclaim. The movie had concluded, ending with Dominic and Brian's victorious escape, but their confrontation with Hobbs had just begun. The movie ended on a picturesque beach, and Hope's first thought was astonishment. However, as she searched her mind for the right expression, she found himself completely at a loss for words. So, she could only exclaim once again, "Wow!"
Hope was not alone, and William and Graham sitting beside him were no exception. Both of them were brimming with excitement, their eyes filled with the spark of enthusiasm. "Wow!" The exclamation burst forth involuntarily from everyone's lips. They all looked at each other, their expressions so similar that it seemed words couldn't convey their feelings. Instead, it was that spontaneous exclamation, coming from the heart and resonating in their chests, that was the most fitting. So, once again, "Wow!" it was.
The screening of "Fast 5" had finally come to an end. Two full hours and ten minutes had passed. The lights in the Chinese Theater slowly brightened, and as they watched the cast and crew take the stage once again, the audience erupted into a tumultuous uproar of whistles, cheers, exclamations, screams, and shouts. Excited faces still bore the lingering traces of amazement, and then they used their applause to bestow the highest honor upon the entire production team.
While it was customary to applaud and show appreciation at the end of every premiere, even for vanity projects, today was different. The excitement and enthusiasm on the faces of the audience were the best proof. From the moment the cast and crew members left the scene to the time when the audience was allowed to leave the theater, the boiling emotions continued, and they couldn't calm down at all.
The premiere of "Fast 5" had come to a close. Now, it was time for judgment. What was the box office outlook for this summer blockbuster?