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Integrity of the initial concept" and "human apotheosis": Louis Leterrier, the first Frenchman at the helm of the Fast & Furious franchise, imposes his vision for the tenth installment of the planetary saga that is released in theaters Wednesday. "I never try to make French when I make American films. I do what I like, "says AFP the director of Elusive, who wanted to reconnect with the "integrity" of the first Fast & Furiousfor the tenth and penultimate opus.
Beginning in 2001, the series tells the story of "Dom" Toretto (Vin Diesel), a former prisoner turned street racing driver in Los Angeles, California, and his gang, which he considers his family. This year, Dom and his acolytes return to the big screen to thwart the plans of an enemy straight out of the past, and whose existence they did not know: Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa, Aquaman), son of a Brazilian drug pundit defeated by them (Fast Five, 2011). Remaining in the shadows for twelve years, Dante, firmly determined to avenge the death of his father, has developed a plan: to make the leader of the gang suffer by attacking what he holds dearest, his relatives and especially his son Bryan, eight years old.
For Louis Leterrier, the "fan" of the first hour "became the director who will finish the franchise", the goal was not to "do fan service" but to respect the DNA of Fast & Furious.
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«Back in the physical»
On the technical side first. If "nothing is impossible anymore" to achieve, according to him, he did not want to "lose the spectator in the impossible". Let me get back to basics. And the main thing is to get out of the computer and back into the physical", by creating, for example, this cylindrical bomb "of a ton and a half" that hurtles down the streets of Rome. "The cars are really driven, the fire is really done."
As with the other films in the series, viewers are taken to the four corners of the world, from Los Angeles to Rome, from Rio de Janeiro to London, and from Antarctica to Portugal. Not to mention the references to Brian O'Conner, played by American actor Paul Walker, who died in a car accident in 2013, during the filming of Fast & Furious 7.
The cast also remains loyal, with the inevitable Vin Diesel at the wheel of his Dodge Charger, Michelle Rodriguez who interprets for more than 20 years Letty Ortiz, partner of Dom and mother of their son, Tyrese Gibson, Jason Statham, John Cena or Charlize Theron in the role of Cipher, one of the main opponents of the team. New faces have joined the cast, such as Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson (Room) as Tess, an independent representative of the Agency who commissions Dom's gang.
Louis Leterrier, who also signed for the final episode of the saga, announced in 2024, wants to "finish this series in human apotheosis" but "not exploding". "The sequel wasn't shot at the same time but it was designed at the same time. So we know where the film is going to end. There are a lot of things that are said in this film ("Fast and Furious X", editor's note) and that are really important for the end, "he insists. Another clue, the saga will end "in a place where Hollywood is not used to going" and "where it all began," promises the director.