Point Break Vs. The Fast And The Furious (Ep. 0022)

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02/04/22 • 80 min

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Point Break presented a massive evolution in action films when it was released in 1991. Its flow of adrenalized action sequences became a benchmark for many films to come; one of those being 2001’s The Fast And The Furious. Similar to Point Break, The Fast and the Furious embraced an obscure subculture and made it a societal focal point. But did it drive a little too closely to Point Break’s plot? Hit the NOS with Kyle, Drew, and Phil as they ride the wave of Point Break Vs. The Fast And The Furious.

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Point Break

After a string of bizarre bank robberies in Southern California, with the crooks donning masks of various former presidents, a federal agent, Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves), infiltrates the suspected gang. But this is no ordinary group of robbers. They're surfers -- led by the charismatic Bodhi (Patrick Swayze) -- who are addicted to the rush of thievery. But when Utah falls in love with a female surfer, Tyler (Lori Petty), who is close to the gang, it complicates his sense of duty.

Rating: R
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Producer: Peter Abrams, Robert L. Levy
Writer: Kurt Wimmer, W. Peter Iliff
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 12, 1991 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 3, 2006
Box Office (Gross USA): $40.5M
Runtime: 2h 2m

Info courtesy of https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/point_break)

The Fast And The Furious

Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) enjoys the adrenaline of street car racing and his fans treat him like a rock star. After a blazing encounter with the ruthless Johnny Tran, Dom decides to take Brian (Paul Walker), a newcomer to street racing, under his wing. Dom's sister Mia sees something she likes in Brian, too. Trouble is, neither of them realize he's an undercover cop, and Dominic and his rival Johnny Tran are both the prime suspects in a case involving dirty money and big-rig hijacking.

Rating: PG-13
Genre: Adventure, Action
Original Language: English
Director: Rob Cohen
Producer: Neal H. Moritz
Writer: Gary Scott Thompson, Erik Bergquist, David Ayer, Gary Scott Thompson
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 22, 2001 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 3, 2003
Box Office (Gross USA): $144.5M
Runtime: 1h 47m
Distributor: Universal Pictures

(Info courtesy of https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1108372-fast_and_the_furious)

Point Break

Rating: R
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Producer: Peter Abrams, Robert L. Levy
Writer: Kurt Wimmer, W. Peter Iliff
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 12, 1991 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 3, 2006
Box Office (Gross USA): $40.5M
Runtime: 2h 2m

Info courtesy of https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/point_break)

The Fast And The Furious

Rating: PG-13
Genre: Adventure, Action
Original Language: English
Director: Rob Cohen
Producer: Neal H. Moritz
Writer: Gary Scott Thompson, Erik Bergquist, David Ayer, Gary Scott Thompson
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 22, 2001 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 3, 2003
Box Office (Gross USA): $144.5M
Runtime: 1h 47m
Distributor: Universal Pictures

(Info courtesy of https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1108372-fast_and_the_furious)

Previous Episode

Interview with Oscar-Winning CGI/VFX Director Tim McGovern

3 Recommendations

This is Movie War's interview with the Oscar-Winning VFX Director from Total Recall, Tim McGovern. Although we began our discussion with Total Recall, Tim is still working on amazing projects which recently included Dunkirk With Christopher Nolan, First Man starring Ryan Gosling, and The Ghost & The Darkness starring Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas.

Tune in and hear the entire interview including stories about Arnold Schwarzenegger, Christopher Nolan, and how CGI was developed in Hollywood.

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Highlights from Tim's amazing resume(just a few):

Dunkirk (Nolan)

First Man (Starring Ryan Gosling)

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

Tron

Total Recall (Won Special Achievement award at the Oscars)

Last Action Hero

The Ghost & The Darkness (Starring Michael Douglas and Val Kilmer)

Stigmata

Equilibrium (starring Christian Bale)

Sin City 2

Huntsman: Winter’s War

Next Episode

Apocalypse Now Vs. Platoon (Ep. 0023)

3 Recommendations

The moral ambiguity of the Vietnam War attracted prolific filmmakers such as Stanley Kubrick, Oliver Stone, and Francis Ford Coppola. Although different, Apocalypse Now and Platoon are two iconic interpretations of one of the most divisive periods in history. Hop in the riverboat with Kyle, Drew, and Phil as we try to determine who “...smells like victory”

Apocalypse Now

In Vietnam in 1970, Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) takes a perilous and increasingly hallucinatory journey upriver to find and terminate Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando), a once-promising officer who has reportedly gone completely mad. In the company of a Navy patrol boat filled with street-smart kids, a surfing-obsessed Air Cavalry officer (Robert Duvall), and a crazed freelance photographer (Dennis Hopper), Willard travels further and further into the heart of darkness.

Rating:

Genre:

War, Drama

Original Language:

English

Director:

Francis Ford Coppola

Producer:

Kim Aubry, Francis Ford Coppola

Writer:

Joseph Conrad, John Milius, Francis Ford Coppola, Michael Herr

Release Date (Theaters):

Aug 15, 1979 Original

Release Date (Streaming):

May 18, 2010

Box Office (Gross USA):

$78.8M

Runtime:

2h 33m

Distributor:

Paramount Pictures, Miramax Films, United Artists

(Information courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/apocalypse_now)

Platoon

Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) leaves his university studies to enlist in combat duty in Vietnam in 1967. Once he's on the ground in the middle of battle, his idealism fades. Infighting in his unit between Staff Sergeant Barnes (Tom Berenger), who believes nearby villagers are harboring Viet Cong soldiers, and Sergeant Elias (Willem Dafoe), who has a more sympathetic view of the locals, ends up pitting the soldiers against each other as well as against the enemy.

Rating:

Genre:

War, Drama

Original Language:

English

Director:

Oliver Stone

Producer:

Arnold Kopelson

Writer:

Oliver Stone

Release Date (Theaters):

Dec 19, 1986 Original

Release Date (Streaming):

Aug 15, 2000

Box Office (Gross USA):

$138.5M

Runtime:

2h 0m

Distributor:

MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., Orion Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

(Information courtesy of https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/platoon)

Movie Wars - Point Break Vs. The Fast And The Furious (Ep. 0022)

Transcript Summary

In this episode titled "Point Break Vs. The Fast And The Furious," the hosts delve into a captivating comparison between two iconic action films and their impact on the genre. They explore the groundbreaking influence of "Point Break" (1991) and its adrenaline-filled sequences, which paved the way for future releases. Similarly, they discuss how "The Fast and the Furious" (2001) focused on an obscure subculture and thrust it into the spotlight, subsequently becoming a societal phenomenon. Both movies feature undercover agents infiltrating criminal organizations, with "Point Break" revolving around a federal agent infiltrating a group of surfer robbers, while "The Fast and the Furious" centers on an undercover cop infiltrating a street racing gang suspected of illegal activities. As the hosts compare these action-packed narratives, they highlight intriguing contrasts, including the R rating of "Point Break" versus the PG-13 rating of "The Fast and the Furious," as well as the directors behind each film, Kathryn Bigelow for "Point Break" and Rob Cohen for "The Fast and the Furious." With "Point Break" grossing $40.5 million at the box office and "The Fast and the Furious" amassing a whopping $144.5 million, this insightful episode delves into the essence of these two powerhouse action flicks and explains why they remain cultural touchstones worth exploring.

Transcript

Point Break presented a massive evolution in action films when it was released in 1991. Its flow of adrenalized action sequences became a benchmark for many films to come; one of those being 2001âs The Fast And The Furious. Similar to Point Break, The Fast and the Furious embraced an obscure subculture and made it a societal focal point. But did it drive a little too closely to Point Breakâs plot? Hit the NOS with Kyle, Drew, and Phil as they ride the wave of Point Break Vs. The Fast

Point Break Vs. The Fast And The Furious (Ep. 0022) Top Questions Answered

What is the plot structure of "Point Break" and "The Fast and the Furious"?

"Point Break" follows a federal agent undercover in a group of bank-robbing surfers addicted to the rush of thievery. "The Fast and the Furious" centers around street car racing and an undercover cop infiltrating a suspected group involved in dirty money and big-rig hijacking.

What are the themes explored in "Point Break" and "The Fast and the Furious"?

Both films explore themes of loyalty, duty, and the complications that arise when the protagonist forms personal connections with people within the subculture they are investigating.