Monday Morning Quarterback Part I
By BOP Staff
May 2, 2011
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Kim Hollis: Fast Five debuted to $86.2 million, easily the biggest opener of 2011 to date. It will become the #1 film of 2011 within two weeks of release. Yes, we finally have a bona fide blockbuster to talk about again. Why do you think this happened?
Edwin Davies: I was pretty shocked by this result initially since I expected the film to do well, but not as well as its predecessor. Thinking about it, though, I started to realise that this result makes more sense as the first sequel to a reboot, rather than the fourth sequel to the original. Fast & 4ious (as I dearly wish the last film had been titled) revitalised the franchise by bringing back all the key players from the first film and starting things off more or less anew. (I don't think the intricacy of the inter-film plotting is the key factor in the enduring popularity of this series.) In that regard, it was kind of the Bizarro Scream 4. The goodwill generated by the last film has clearly translated well for the new entry into the franchise, and I think that the $10 million+ increase is down to The Rock, who gives the film a credible antagonist for once, the fun heist plot and the fact that it's actually halfway decent.
Joshua Pasch: Like the rest of the world, I was blown away when Fast & Furious opened to $70 million a couple of years back. I had no idea that the Diesel/Walker/Brewster/Rodriguez re-infusion into the movies would net such an enormous revival for the franchise. This time around, it was a brilliant stroke to further the reunion factor by bringing in the various role players from the second and third films here. That decision kept things feeling fresh for another go. Moreover, the setup of Rock vs. Diesel is like an HBO prize fight. Also, this franchise is hardly about street racing at all anymore (there is only one actual street race in the film), but it has crossed over into the heist film category. This move will likely allow Universal to churn out another two or three of these by 2014.
I will also say, being a fan of these guilty pleasure flicks, that they are the only mainstream flicks that I can think of that cater to Latino audiences...even if its only on a surface level.
Also: Bro.
Bruce Hall: I think there are a number of things that work here, and it isn't entirely Paul Walker's monotonous delivery, or the way Vin Diesel looks like he can barely stay awake all the time. Both actors have failed to appear in previous installments and the overall popularity of the franchise has held steady. I don't claim to have all the answers but I do know that this highly formulaic series has already proven that even with interchangeable parts, the ride stays pretty much the same. These are now breezy heist flicks (I see Joshua beat me to the punch on that point, but surely great minds think alike), tailor made for the Grand Theft Auto generation. There's gobs of PG-13 "violence" that feels a lot more benign than it should. People die only if they're evil, or dramatically expendable. There's sexuality but it's all of the adolescent wink-wink variety. The bad guys are cartoons, and the good guys are flawed enough to be relatable, but generic enough to be replaceable.
Fast Five's story tries to be more personal and human but honestly, does anyone really care? Smirking, interchangeable heroes use an endless supply of fast cars, guns and explosives to do highly illegal things, but they get away with it because they're really good people inside. And if movies have taught us anything, it's that cops will forgive if you can prove you were just doing it for your family. The formula is the biggest thing this franchise has going for it. Formula worked for James Bond (for a while), it works for Grand Theft Auto (for now), and so far it works here. The tank will run dry some day but I have to say that for now, I'll keep going as long as they make these things.
Josh Spiegel: I think Joshua is onto something with his last comment. Much in the same way that Tyler Perry movies have tapped into a massive audience in the country, leaving most other executives scratching their heads, the Fast and the Furious franchise has clearly tapped into an equally massive audience that's only growing. Let's also keep in mind two things: a) it's been a while since a seemingly solid action movie was released in theaters and b) the reviews for this movie are ridiculously positive, in that they're not all pans. Maybe what I've dreaded for years is finally happening: the summer movie season no longer starts in May.
Shalimar Sahota: This is an absolutely staggering result. As already mentioned, the films have moved away from street racing towards teaching teens the joys of breaking bigger laws. Although I've not seen the film, from the looks of the trailers, what has me tempted is that the majority (or probably all) of the action looks startlingly real, and without CGI (the trailer for the previous film had a rather ropey looking oil tanker stunt). The positive reviews are a surprise, since there aren't many franchise films that reach a fifth instalment, and given that this is often the point at which they usual wilter out and go straight to DVD, there are even fewer that open this high. Universal knows that they've got a good thing here. Hopefully they don't ruin it.
Max Braden: I think, all other things being equal, if there had been someone else cast instead of Dwayne Johnson, it still would have opened strong because the trailer presented both action and a plot viewers could identify. As Joshua noted, a heist plot probably has broader appeal than simply showing slick cars in drag races. (Witness Johnson's weak $12 million opening for Faster, and the dismal $5 million opening for Nic Cage's Drive Angry, both movies featuring muscle cars in the advertising.) But definitely, putting The Rock opposite Vin Diesel was like a fantasy action matchup which most certainly boosted the weekend box office.
Kim Hollis: I actually believe The Rock mattered to this one, mainly because he's hitting that perfect target demographic during a time when he's returned to the WWE and his profile there is on the rise as well. I think that alone, The Rock isn't necessarily a draw, but when you put him as the foil to the likes of Vin Diesel, you've got something that feels magical.
Duh. The answer is Universal.
Kim Hollis: Who do you think benefits the most from Fast Five's debut?
Edwin Davies: My gut reaction would be to say The Rock, since he's been aching for a huge hit for the better part of four years now. Excluding The Other Guys and Get Smart, in which he was merely a supporting player or glorified cameo, this is far and away the biggest hit he's had since The Game Plan back in 2007. (Even then, that film only managed $90 million in its entire run, a total that Fast Five will reach by sometime on Monday.) This might be the shot in the arm that his career needs to get him out of family comedies or low-profile action films like Faster into something with a bit more oomph behind it.
Joshua Pasch: I doubt this role will do a lot for The Rock's leading man status that Edwin is referring to. I think it was fairly clear this franchise was still going strong and while his presence helped, no one is looking at this opening and thinking that The Rock's star power was the driving force behind it. He just hoped on board while the franchise was firing on all cylinders.
That said, it does help his career in the sense that if they decide to keep his character around for future installments then he can continue to revisit these films just like Walker, Diesel, and Brewster. He too will now have the intermittent Fast and Furious hit to go in between his underwhelming/underperforming other efforts.
Bruce Hall: My answer is "anyone who wanted to see part six and seven," because they're already on the drawing board. I would also agree that The Rock is the primary beneficiary from the cast. His status as an action hero has fallen into doubt in recent years, and he at least keeps himself in the conversation here. One reason is because the rest of the characters are only slightly more exciting than dry oatmeal, but The Rock really does do this better than Vin Diesel. I don't think this means he's a bona fide leading man, because I'm not convinced that he is. But just like Diesel, he works well as part of an ensemble and since action films seem to be trending this way, it guarantees that The Rock's phone will keep ringing for a while yet to come.
Brett Beach: Having hated the previous installment, I had no desire to see this. Now that it's become, by far, the most critically acclaimed of the series and seems well on its way to $200 million, I almost want to revise my feelings, and check it out... no, still can't do it. Director Justin Lin is the big winner here. He has gone from directing the lowest grossing, almost non-entry in the franchise to resurrecting it and improving upon that resurrection (in Hollywood, that's only one miracle away from cinematic sainthood). And he has directed one of the awesomest eps of Community to boot ("Modern Warfare"). Now he will be overseeing Schwarzenegger's return to his most famous role? He may never go back to small-scale black comic fare like Better Luck Tomorrow, but um, he doesn't really need to.
Josh Spiegel: I agree with Brett, though I'm sure he meant "the awesomest," not just one of the awesomest episodes of Community. But, seriously, Justin Lin wins big here. While he's no household name, he's helmed the two biggest films in the franchise, proving that he can make a seemingly rote action-movie staple exciting once again. The Rock and Vin Diesel may get a bit of mileage out of this movie, but Diesel's already tried and failed to be a big star outside of this kind of picture. Lin's the winner here.
Max Braden: While I don't think Diesel or Johnson were in the dregs, Fast Five gives both of their careers a serious shot in the arm. I'd been thinking lately that Johnson was going to follow Eddie Murphy's/Mike Meyer's career of shifting into family and light comedy films. After all, we're coming up on a decade since The Mummy 2, his first movie and biggest opener/grosser in his filmography to date. Faster had him as a bad-ass, but he looked really impressive during Fast Five. Also, if I were a casting agent I'd be looking to put the sexy Gal Gadot, and Sung Kang into future big budget ensembles.
Jim Van Nest: At the very least, this result should guarantee Diesel and Rock offers to be in Expendables 3.
Kim Hollis: I feel like the answer is Diesel, because I think it's been made pretty abundantly clear that the franchise needs him in order to have massive success. I'm not necessarily saying I think he's going to go out and successfully headline other franchises, but I do think that this helps him have an argument that he can be part of an ensemble and drive a film to success.