Sequels traditionally stand for a handful of things. Mostly an increased desperation from investors, producers and directors clinging onto happier days, and actors turning out better displays of acting at junkets than they do in the actual films when it comes to excitement, energy and enthusiasm which, let’s face it, by the fourth or fifth installment of a franchise, has been beaten out of performers and cinemagoers alike.
The law of diminishing marginal returns was almost invented for the movie world, as a procession of ever more desperate sequels and remakes get churned out of studios who should know better.
All of the above should be true for The Fast and the Furious set of movies, which date right the way back to 2001. And yet, none of the above is the case.
In the hot-rod, tire-screeching, throttle-ramming world of muscle cars and power-packed pursuits, it seems this franchise cannot help but continue to consume itself, and with every additional mouthful, its size continues to grow.
Consider the first, initially titled movie, The Fast and the Furious, starring Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and the late Paul Walker, which yielded a colossal $207 million at the box office. Now times that total by seven and you will have the output that the most recent iteration—2017’s The Fate of the Furious achieved.
Now back for what is being unofficially branded as the first spin-off from the franchise, and yet to all intents and purposes is just another installment of street-stricken madness, Jason Statham and Dwayne Johnson are at the controls when it comes to justifying a continued upward shift of budget, box office dollars and expectations, as Hobbs and Shaw assume the in-car personas of a SS federal agent a former SAS operative teaming up to halt a cyber-genetically enhanced international terrorism threat.
Past the pleasantries, there is very little need to explain the intricacies of a film or, even, one of its lead character, Jason Statham. For so long, the 51-year-old has been the perfect blend of smoldering, moody, confident and confrontational. He has styled his persona very much around the types of characters he plays in Hollywood blockbusters.
Whether a gun-toting criminal on the streets of London, a Bond-esque spy circumnavigating the globe or simply the man who performs wheelspins better than even the aforementioned Vin Diesel, Statham, who is married to model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, is continually striving for the next big one, much like the series’ franchise owners, you might suppose.
STRIPLV: It seems with every new film, the octane shift keeps increasing. STATHAM:For the Fast and the Furious series that seems to be the case, but that is what viewers demand, and a lot now can be done with special effects that, even at the start of the franchise, wasn’t remotely possible. It’s easier to make these movies now in that sense, but the creativity must be there as people won’t just stand for having the same product regurgitated again and again.
STRIPLV: While filming, do you ever get scared? STATHAM: Trepidation, yeah I use as motivation. You need those nerves and butterflies to draw that emotion and power. Do I worry about it going wrong? Yes, I’m human, it crosses my mind, but that’s all part of it, that shot of adrenalin. STRIPLV: Where did this lack of any fear come from? STATHAM: My dad! He was a keen gymnast and had me doing handsprings and round offs backflips from, perhaps, the age of four or five. So I never had that fear you’re supposed to develop in those early years. I thought I was indestructible. Probably still do. STRIPLV: Could Bond ever happen for you? STATHAM: I don’t know. (Laughs) I certainly wouldn’t say no. STRIPLV: There has been some ruckus coming from the Fast 8 set. STATHAM: Has there? This is the first I’ve heard about it. (Laughs). News to me. STRIPLV: Care to shed any light on what’s happening and maybe elaborate on what Dwayne meant? It’s all quite ambiguous. STATHAM: I don’t know of anything happening. I’m good mates with everyone. Dwayne and I are good mates; if there were anything to be said, it would be said outright. The fact is, in terms of the script, we’re not meant to get on, and we did that very well. It is easy to stay in character outside of that? Sure. But the respect I had for everyone on that set is and was huge. STRIPLV: Fair enough. Helen Mirren joining the cast must have been something quite amazing. STATHAM: You think you’re part of a quality group of actors. And then Helen Mirren joins rocks up – fucking hell. (Laughs) You don’t meet many people who have a real aura about them, but Helen does. It’s not just everything she has done before, because we all know about that. It’s more to do with who she is as a person right now and how she carries herself. You have to admit some people change a room when they walk in it. She does that. STRIPLV: Did you share any scenes together? STATHAM: I am keeping my mouth shut. I’m not going to be the one to ruin anything, give the spoilers away. It’s Helen Mirren, enough said. There are a lot of new people involved. F Gary Gray. The man’s a genius. Straight Outta Compton onto one of the biggest franchises in movie history - it’s explosive. STRIPLV: Is it still a great job to be an actor? STATHAM: Ah, yes, sure. It’s still an adrenaline rush, all of it, even after all these years. As an actor, and as someone who uses their body as a prop, I never lose the thrill that comes from pulling off a difficult jump or fall; or experimenting with a really well-choreographed fight sequence. I get a huge boost from being able to draw upon the technique and strength needed – there’s a determination and attitude that comes from knowing what you’re capable of doing physically. STRIPLV: Do you see the physical side as being your edge? STATHAM: I guess so. Any sort of physical fights, and hand-to-hand, any skill. But people can mistake this fitness as an extension of a career, and I promise it’s not that – it’s an extension of me, because whether an actor or not, I’d be doing this stuff and looking this way whatever. I never had any particular objectives other than to do action movies the way Clint Eastwood and Steve McQueen used to do them – that cool, charismatic approach. I wanted to be able to emulate some of the things I saw when I watched their films. I reckon I’ve done that, but there’s more to do. STRIPLV: Do you still look back on your success as a diver and wonder if that career could have produced something special? STATHAM: Not as much as I used to. I was a very good diver, but I got into it too late, and the standard out there was incredible then, and even better now. Back then there was such a small pocket of people competing so within a year I was on the British diving team, but it was too late for me ever to be able to take it seriously. I came third in three Olympic trials; I came close. So close. Every board qualifies the first two divers, so I was just short three times. Quite gutting really. STRIPLV: Do you like getting back in the pool now? STATHAM: It doesn’t do enough for me personally, and I’m looking for fast-paced, hard workout plans in my weekly routine. And as far as the diving goes, it’s not like golf. It’s not a case of, ‘see you later darling, I’m going to jump off the 10-meter board a few times and sink a few beers with the lads after’. You can’t really do it anywhere anymore. Most of the boards are closed or heavily restricted because it’s a health hazard. That’s all stopped now because people were getting hurt, so outside of a diving club, it’s all over - no social stuff. STRIPLV: Do you get more relaxed doing what you’re doing as time has gone on? Are you still passionate? STATHAM: If you want to get into all that subconscious sh*t, I guess my passion for working and grabbing the next project comes down to the fact I’m scared of it all going away. In me, there’s always been an element of, ‘how the fuck did I get here?’, and I’ve never lost that, nor would I want to, because I’m going to work my hardest to stay there. STRIPLV: Do you work too much? STATHAM: Yes, I probably work too much. I know that. But I get excited by opportunities. “You want me to do a movie with De Niro? Fuck, yes”. I’m going to say yes – anyone is going to say yes. I used to sell jewelry on the street; what the hell is going on? I guess I’ve always kept it interesting because I know how important it is to mix the messages and keep people guessing, but when it comes to knuckle down seriously, I’m the best in the business. A lot of my focus comes from martial arts – it’s all about discipline and control, and it takes a long time to master that mental side. I’ve known good, really technical competitors lose fights they should have won because they don’t employ the simple elements of control and patience that every good fighter needs. STRIPLV: How specifically do you stay in shape? STATHAM: I don’t want high tech stuff – I use ropes, weights, bags, kettlebells, mats, metal, and anything to help with chin-ups, then push-ups, dips and all that. You can talk about heart rate monitors, but once beyond that, it’s all machines and technologies disguising and making excuses for what you should be about, which is a pure pursuit of fitness. Ultimately, we are always trying to learn skills, but fitness has got to be raw. We don’t count press-ups, that’s not going to help us on camera – no-one drops down and gets a round of applause for doing 50 push-ups. We are trying to build good strength and adapting skills wherever possible. But when I’ve been through a tough set, the most important thing is to center yourself before going again, not smash out 30 reps and then expect to go again straight away on another 30. STRIPLV: Tell me about your PT, Logan Hood. STATHAM: Logan is all about impact, high energy, and the sort of intensity that doesn’t let up. Discipline is vital, and I love being put through my paces by someone because it’s a very natural reaction to drop the intensity slightly, even when you don’t know you’re doing it. It’s human to ease off – you’re trying to preserve; when really, what you should be doing is pushing harder. I love the thrill of physical power, but Logan will also work with me on the psychology and brain training behind being able to hold a routine together, even in those moments when everything in your head feels like it’s about to fall apart. We’re only as strong as our brains let us be – it’s not about the power in the arms or legs or lungs, it’s about when your mind tells your body to stop or adjust. And adjust doesn’t necessarily mean ignoring the pain or grip harder because being more intense won’t always take you to where you want to go either. That was one of the first things I was taught back in my diving days - if I was tense and rigid, then my performance would suffer. Being strong in that environment was being able to stay supple and not tense up in those moments, and that’s an entirely different skill set to try to master, and it’s those who understand and master the fine margins that excel. STRIPLV: What about diet? STATHAM: Never sugar, nothing refined, five or six small meals and nothing after 7 pm at night. I also have very little bread, lots of fruit, beans, pulses. It’s pretty obvious stuff, and most people could put together a diet like this, but the challenge is sticking to it; the challenge is grilling your meat when you want to have something tastier; it’s resisting sauces and dressings because you know what’s in them isn’t going to help you. It’s that voice in your head that says, ‘are you going to do this properly or not?’. STRIPLV: And avoiding injuries? STATHAM: From minute one, I am in recovery mode, and I will know the best way to get myself back to full fitness, but the important thing is to listen to people you trust. I used to dole out the bullshit for a living as a London street vendor, so I can spot it a million miles away – trust yourself, look after and listen to your body and always be looking for the next thing, in fitness, and in career.