Debut

The roar of airplane engines echoed through the dark night on the tarmac, drowning out all other noises. Even Brian Tyler's thrilling and tense musical score could rival Hans Zimmer's. The atmosphere, tense and on the verge of eruption, quietly began to envelop the scene.

"The men we're after are professional runners. They like speed and are guaranteed to go down the hardest possible way so make sure you got your underwear on. We find them, we take them as a team, and we bring them back." The voice was calm and powerful, each word precise. Despite the even tone, it carried an authoritative and forceful presence, silencing the roaring sounds around. Every word had weight, and with two simple sentences, it subdued the entire environment. The overwhelming aura of dominance easily dominated the room.

Before anyone could see him, his voice had already left a vivid impression on paper, and their minds involuntarily began to sketch the corresponding character. But before they could react, the camera shifted, and Renly Hall appeared on the screen.

He wore a simple and neat camouflage shirt, with the sleeves casually rolled up to his elbows and two buttons on the shirt's collar undone. Paired with mustard-colored work pants and flat short boots, his attire lacked any unnecessary embellishments.

His overall appearance was clean and concise, giving the impression of an office worker at first glance. However, his decisive movements, along with his restrained and focused eyes, exuded the strong and disciplined demeanor of a military man. His steady footsteps followed a precise rhythm, with minimalistic actions and no unnecessary words, making his approach clear and distinct.

He came to a halt, turned around, and his gaze settled firmly on the five soldiers in front of him. There was no need to repeat himself; his sharp gaze had already conveyed the message accurately: Each and every one of them, without exception.

The air around them immediately tensed. "And above all else, we don't ever, ever let them get into cars." His gaze intensified slightly, and one could even capture the slightly constricted pupils, emitting a dangerous aura. He seemed like a hunter, ever-ready to strike. Beneath his seemingly calm surface, every muscle in his body was taut. "Crime scene is 10 hours old and counting, men. Let's go hunting!"

In just three sentences, merely three sentences, his decisive and commanding presence made one sense the impending sparks. If he were to clash with Dominic and Brian, what would the outcome be?

Kyle's eyes brightened slightly. Interesting, this was truly interesting.

Indeed, the difference between acting and non-acting was glaringly obvious. Initially, when the news broke that Renly had replaced Dwayne Johnson in "Fast 5", it had caused a sensation. Many media outlets believed Universal Pictures had made a grave mistake. In Hollywood, there was no one who could replace Dwayne, at least not now. Having Renly fill Dwayne's shoes was simply absurd.

In terms of physique, style, and presence, Renly was not in the same league as Dwayne. Leaving aside other factors, Dwayne's imposing stature alone could easily overshadow Vin, but Renly at best could be on par with Paul. Not to mention standing against Dominic and Brian together in the film.

But now, as soon as he appeared, Renly's full-fledged character was outlined in the sparse exchanges. Seemingly minimalist in his acting style, he displayed comprehensive advantages in aspects such as gaze, movements, and lines. His assertive presence was unwavering, and within just fifteen seconds of his debut, people couldn't help but look forward to the upcoming confrontations.

At this moment, no one would doubt that the stern and clever detective before them meant every word he said. Dominic and Brian's prospects suddenly cast a shadow.

This performance aura was something Dwayne Johnson could not match even if he tried his best.

In a commercial film, especially in the crude and straightforward world of "Fast & Furious", Renly had delivered an outstanding performance. However, was this a good thing or a bad thing? If the performance's weight became too heavy, leading to an imbalance in the ensemble cast or disrupting the film's pacing, it might not be worth it...

Kyle couldn't help but look forward to the developments to come.

"Agent Hobbs! Chief of Police, Alemeida," a middle-aged man in uniform introduced himself.

"Luke," came the succinct and unadorned response, without any unnecessary embellishments.

"Sorry to hear about the loss of your men," Alemeida tried to keep up with Hobbs' pace, but it wasn't an easy task. For every two steps Hobbs took, Alemeida had to take three, and it seemed that Hobbs had no intention of slowing down. Alemeida glanced around at the equipment being moved continuously; the entire airport was buzzing with activity. "Is all this really necessary to apprehend two men?"

Hobbs suddenly came to a halt, and Alemeida, still advancing, almost overtook him. He quickly hit the brakes, but the abrupt maneuver left him flustered. Then Alemeida saw Hobbs' calm eyes and heard him say in a deep voice, "Are you giving orders, or am I?"

With a simple question, calm and devoid of emotion, Hobbs made everyone shiver. Alemeida instinctively averted his gaze, and even he didn't realize that he had involuntarily drawn his shoulders and chin inwards. His timorous demeanor left him with no inclination to resist as he stammered, "Well, if there's anything we can do to help the DSS..."

"Two things," Hobbs resumed his stride, and Alemeida anxiously followed. "One, I need a translator." Alemeida quickly explained, but before he could finish speaking, Hobbs cut him off again. "Elena Neves." Then he handed a file to Alemeida.

Alemeida opened it and made a surprised sound. "A patrol officer?"

"You heard me," the implied message was clear: I don't want to repeat myself. But Alemeida still cautiously asked, "But why? We have many more experienced people."

Hobbs's lips curled up slightly, and there was a flicker of light in his eyes. "I like her smile." This immediately silenced Alemeida. As he watched Hobbs approach his vehicle, he hurriedly caught up and inquired, "What's the second thing?"

"Stay the f*ck out of my way," Hobbs looked sharply at Alemeida. This made Alemeida reflexively avoid eye contact once again. When he raised his head again, Hobbs had already gotten into the car and slammed the door shut.

The moment Renly appeared on the big screen, Hope held her breath, suppressing her excitement. This version of Renly was undoubtedly unprecedented, completely different from any previous portrayal. With just an entrance, the juxtaposition of a savvy civilian image and a strong military persona brought Luke Hobbs' character vividly to life. For the first time, Hope began to feel anticipation: how would this cat and mouse game unfold?

Hope didn't have to wait long; the story quickly unfolded with a brisk pace and sharp rhythm, without any unnecessary detours.

Dominic and Brian soon discovered the truth. The car they stole belonged to a local kingpin in Rio de Janeiro and contained a microchip that recorded all their drug trade transactions. The vehicle was accidentally seized by the United States, prompting them to send a team to steal it back, only to be intercepted by Brian. Things got messy for Dominic's group.

At the same time, Hobbs led the FBI, aiming to both recover the intercepted vehicle and apprehend Dominic's group. The three parties collided head-on, and it was a matter of who would come out on top!

Hobbs took the initiative, tracking down Dominic's group and going after them directly. Dominic, Brian, and Mia hurriedly tried to escape, with Hobbs and his team hot on their heels. The first confrontation between the two sides took place immediately, in the winding alleys and among the stacked houses of Rio de Janeiro's slums. When they saw Hobbs sprinting, jumping, breaking through a glass window, leaping across the narrow alley, and engaging with the armed thugs fearlessly, Hope's eyes widened, and she couldn't help but exclaim. However, she quickly realized that she might have overreacted. Everyone else had rather nonchalant expressions, including William and Graham.

But that was Luke Hobbs! The tough and rugged image he displayed at this moment was a far cry from the easygoing persona, both on and off the screen, that he was known for. His ironclad and resolute demeanor, along with his piercing gaze, exuded an aura of decisiveness that was chilling. Hope could hardly believe her eyes.

Before her thoughts could fully develop, Hope once again covered her mouth and forcibly suppressed her exclamation. Hobbs, facing three adversaries barehanded, not only held his ground but also displayed remarkable agility. His punches, elbows, knees, and palms, all executed with a concise and straightforward combat style, along with dizzying footwork, left three thugs lying on the ground within just three breaths.

This version of Luke Hobbs was truly refreshing, and the stark contrast left the audience gasping in astonishment. Even when compared to Vin Diesel's portrayal, their expectations began to rise slowly.

Eli Wallah, a reporter from the Seattle Post, stood at the entrance of the Chinese theater, leaning his ear to catch the sounds from inside the theater. He soon heard a series of hushed exclamations, followed by soft laughter and discussions. It was only a few sentences, and it quickly subsided, but these minor details indicated that the movie was experiencing its first peak of excitement.

Eli was itching with curiosity. What on earth had happened? In a popcorn movie like "Fast 5", it was exceedingly difficult to provide surprises unless it featured breathtaking visual effects like "Avatar" or a mind-bending plot like "Inception". Otherwise, the chances of eliciting gasps from the audience were close to zero.

So, what had happened?

Sitting in the theater and watching the movie, James Bernard, a film critic for The Village Voice, also widened his eyes in shock. What had he just witnessed?