The Truth Behind the 6 Craziest Stunts in the Fast and Furious Franchise

Summary

This video explores the craziest stunts from The Fast and the Furious franchise, focusing on six jaw-dropping moments. From dropping cars out of planes in Furious 7 to a Camaro landing on a yacht in Too Fast Too Furious, the video delves into the real-life execution of these incredible stunts, many of which were done with minimal CGI. It highlights dangerous yet impressive sequences like dragging a bank vault through city streets and launching a car through skyscraper windows. The behind-the-scenes insight reveals the technical brilliance and audacity that define these action-packed scenes.

Takeaways

• 🚗 The Fast and the Furious series is known for its outlandish stunts, many of which are done for real despite their craziness.
• 🪂 In Furious 7, cars were dropped from planes for real, involving months of planning and complex safety measures for skydivers and crew.
• 🛥️ In Too Fast Too Furious, a Chevy Camaro was launched onto a yacht using a real car and a specially built ramp, though the crash itself was recreated using dummies and explosives.
• 🚓 Fast and Furious 6 featured a real 56-ton British battle tank, and over 250 cars were destroyed for the massive tank scene, with some elements enhanced by CGI.
• 💥 Fast 5's iconic bank vault heist was done largely for real, with custom-built steerable vaults dragged through city streets, smashing through buildings and vehicles.
• 🚀 F9 pushed the limits by sending Roman and Tej into space in a Pontiac Fiero, with input from NASA to ensure some scientific realism for the stunt.
• 🏙️ Furious 7's Abu Dhabi skyscraper jump involved real cars crashing through glass walls, though replicas were used to avoid destroying a rare $3.4 million Lykan Hypersport.
• 🔧 Several stunts in the franchise, such as the tank flip and Roman's flying squirrel-like leap in Fast 6, required a combination of real action and CGI.
• 🔒 To execute Fast 5's vault stunt, special effects teams built multiple vault models, including one with a central axle to achieve the 'rolling' effect.
• 💡 Many of the series' stunts, despite seeming impossible, were executed with minimal CGI, demonstrating the team's dedication to practical effects and real action.

Q & A

What was the reasoning behind using real cars in the Furious 7 parachute stunt?

The Furious 7 team chose to drop real cars from planes to avoid over-reliance on CGI, making the stunt feel more authentic. Stunt veteran Spiro Razatos convinced the director to do the stunt for real after using too much CGI in earlier films.

How did the crew ensure the parachute car stunt was filmed safely in Furious 7?

The crew faced challenges such as preventing debris from damaging cameras, which were mounted in safe positions. They also carefully planned the drops, coordinating with skydivers to capture the shots while minimizing risk.

Was the iconic yacht landing scene in 'Too Fast Too Furious' done with real cars?

Yes, the jump of a Chevy Camaro onto a yacht was 100% real, though no one was inside the car at the time. The team used dummies as stand-ins for the characters Brian and Roman.

What safety measures were taken during the Fast and Furious 6 tank chase scene?

During the Fast and Furious 6 tank chase, a real 56-ton British battle tank was used. Although some parts relied on CGI, the scene involved real destruction of 250 cars, and safety protocols were implemented to ensure that no one was hurt during the stunt.

How did the filmmakers achieve the vault heist sequence in Fast Five?

In Fast Five, the production team built a steerable vault to give the stunt crew control during the chase. They used custom-made vaults to smash through buildings and create realistic destruction without relying on CGI.

How was the rocket car scene in F9 inspired?

The rocket car scene in F9 started as a joke about Dom's crew racing on the moon. However, director Justin Lin explored the scientific possibilities by consulting with NASA, which inspired the final sequence of launching a Pontiac Fiero into orbit.

Was the tower jump scene in Furious 7 done with real Lykan Hypersports?

No, the production team used replicas of the Lykan Hypersport for the tower jump scene to avoid damaging the real $3.4 million car. They built fiberglass replicas powered by Porsche engines to perform the stunts.

Why did the filmmakers use replicas of the Lykan Hypersport for the tower jump scene?

Due to the high cost and limited availability of the Lykan Hypersport, the team built replicas using fiberglass and Porsche Boxster powertrains to perform the stunt, ensuring the real cars were not destroyed.

How did the filmmakers of Fast and Furious 6 integrate both real stunts and CGI?

Fast and Furious 6 used a mix of real stunts and CGI, particularly during the tank chase scene. While 250 cars were destroyed in real life, certain physics-defying moments, like Roman flying from the tank, were enhanced with CGI.

What challenges did the stunt team face when filming the Furious 7 parachute car drop?

The biggest challenges included avoiding damage to the cameras and ensuring the cars did not get stuck while being dropped. Coordinating skydivers to capture footage safely among the falling cars added to the complexity.