Dwayne Johnson, recognized otherwise as The Rock, is nothing short of a Hollywood sensation. The former professional wrestler’s enigmatic trip to cinematic stardom began in 2002 when he found himself starring, as the lead, in The Mummy franchise’s spin-off, The Scorpion King. The actor subsequently began his great run in the industry, with many classic hits to his name — allowing him to solidify his position in Hollywood as a talented and magnetic force to reckon with.
And the rest is history. The man we now see is an influential Hollywood stalwart. However, the journey to the top of the mountain is never an easy one. One has to, without a modicum of doubt or fear, undertake various challenges to commit to certain roles. And as fate would have it, Dwayne Johnson has never been one to turn down a challenge.
One particular instance, that best exemplifies the aforementioned sentiment, sends us back to 2010 — with the release of the film, Faster, directed by American filmmaker George Tillman Jr.
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Dwayne Johnson’s Role In Faster (2010)
According to IMDB, when George Tillman Jr. decided to direct the 2010 Dwayne Johnson-starrer, he had never directed an action film before. His expertise was mainly restricted to drama films. Therefore, as a form of tribute to 70’s action flicks, Tillman decided to spearhead the endeavor. In the movie, the former WWE superstar plays the role of Jimmy Cullen, also known as the “Driver”, an ex-convict.
This particular action flick sees Johnson embodying the role of a vengeful character, whose eyes are dead-set on fulfilling his mission — exacting revenge on the ones responsible for his brother’s death. Faster, upon its release, was faced with a mixed reception. It has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 42%. As per the critics’ consensus, the Jumanji star was able to dignify his characterization, serving audiences “full-throttle” action and entertainment. However, the film ultimately fell flat at capturing the thrilling essence of its title.
Regardless of its cinematic narrative, the film was successful in amassing a $28M profit, out of which $11M marked the box office profits and $17M came from DVD sales alone. The film was hence successful at piquing audience interest at that time, irrespective of its plot-related weaknesses.
Dwayne Johnson Learnt A Prison Fighting Style For Faster (2010)
As per IMDB, one specific scene in Faster (2010) required Dwayne Johnson to adopt a new style of fighting which the actor may not have been earlier acquainted with. This style of fighting, known as “52 Blocks” or Jailhouse Rock originates from the prisons of the West Coast and has been referenced in various mainstream media time and again.
Within a matter of two days, the Hollywood stalwart was able to learn the fighting style. This in itself is symbolic of Johnson’s relentless drive and power — a testament to his on-screen exuberance and physicality. Additionally, the lead actor, accompanied by his co-stars, also spent a day at Rick Seaman’s Stunt Driving School, where all of them received proper training. This helped the Black Adam star drive the cars for the 2010 film.
From numerous such instances, we can only agree that there’s no stopping Dwayne Johnson.
Faster, starring Dwayne Johnson as the lead is available on Prime Video.
