“The story and the characters really spoke to me,” recalls Johnson. “It is a very simple and distinct storyline, yet all the characters are layered with complexity and complication.”

Johnson plays Driver, who after 10 years in prison, has a singular focus: to avenge the murder of his brother during the botched bank robbery that led to his imprisonment. Now a free man with a deadly to-do list in hand, he’s finally on his mission…but with two men on his trail – a veteran cop (Billy Bob Thornton) just days from retirement, and a young egocentric hitman (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) with a flair for the art of killing and a newfound worthy opponent. The hunter is also the hunted. It’s a do or die race to the list’s finish as the mystery surrounding his brother’s murder deepens, and new details emerge along the way hinting that Driver’s list may be incomplete.

Johnson took special note that Driver’s motivation is very raw and doesn’t require suspension of disbelief. “If something important to you is ripped away leaving you with nothing, the only thing you have left is the ability to make those individuals pay. There are many different ways a person can respond when they lose everything but his response is still reality-based at its core. For Driver, the response is ‘You took everything I had, now you pay.’ When he gets out of prison, it’s safe to say you should put the kids to bed.”

When designing the action sequences and larger set pieces, the filmmakers wanted to move away from the current trends of overly choreographed fight sequences and heavily enhanced use of weapons and physicality. No wires or intricate combat, just raw fury and purposeful violence. “Driver is not a skilled martial artist in any way,” explains Johnson. “He just has an animal instinct that can’t be denied.”

“We wanted to make sure the fighting style was in line with a guy who for the better part of his 20s and 30s lived in prison and fought daily. Those, by the way, are the guys you definitely don’t ever want to cross,” warns Johnson.

Stunt Coordinator Darrin Prescott, whose extensive resume includes the Bourne series and The Matrix trilogy, kept the physicality consistent with the material. “This isn’t the movie where they toss each other over sinks and smash through walls. The action had to fit the story, not just be action for action’s sake.”

Johnson also worked extensively on body language when handling guns so he could make choices specific to his character. Although he had certainly shot guns in other films, Johnson and technical supervisor (and former LAPD detective) Chic Daniel worked on specific techniques for Driver. As was the case with combat techniques, shooting choreography would also be carefully sculpted to reflect Driver’s animalistic nature. “Dwayne’s approach wasn’t about showing an individual well-trained in firearms but was more in line with someone all about revenge,” says Daniel. “The look was instinctive shooting rather than trained shooting.”

The choice of gun for Driver was just as thought-out. The gun had to look menacing and rural, and ideally be loud with a lot of kick back.

“He’s unsophisticated in his gun play so we settled on a Redhawk Alaskan Ruger, nicknamed ‘the Bear Killer,’” says Johnson. “It’s one of the biggest revolvers ever made and it could stop a bear point blank in its tracks.”

Opening across the Philippines on March 2, “Faster” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

Watch the trailer here:

Dwayne Johnson Returns to Action Genre in ‘Faster’ originally appeared on Starmometer on February 24, 2011.

After 10 years in prison, Driver (Johnson) has a singular focus – to avenge the murder of his brother during the botched bank robbery that led to his imprisonment. Now a free man with a deadly to-do list in hand, he’s finally on his mission…but with two men on his trail – a veteran cop just days from retirement, and a young egocentric hitman with a flair for the art of killing and a newfound worthy opponent.

Billy Bob Thornton was attracted to Cop’s deeply-rooted shades of gray and signed on. “It’s always fun to play someone who’s a bit ambiguous,” says Thornton. “Those characters are usually a lot more interesting to portray and more entertaining for the audience to watch.”

“Cop is a guy whose life has really gone the wrong way,” Thornton continues. “He doesn’t have much. In his feeble way he is trying to scratch his way back to some kind of semblance of normalcy but it’s not easy.”

Director George Tillman, Jr. knew that Thornton’s immense talent and commitment would bring a lot to the project. “Aside from his ability to play Cop’s vulnerability and flaws, Billy Bob is a talented writer/director so he is a great collaborator on all aspects of how to make a scene better.”

“Billy Bob is absolutely perfect for the role of Cop,” adds Johnson. “He is very talented, intriguing and extremely passionate, especially when he finds a character he loves.”

Also hot on Driver’s trail is a professional assassin, Killer, who has an insatiable appetite for the extreme. Killer is an intense character driven by an innate insecurity and an unquenchable thirst for approval. When first sparring with Driver and experiencing his total lack of fear, Killer is shaken to the core. The encounter sparks something within the character that triggers an obsession with besting and essentially killing Driver.

“Killer is truly a fascinating character,” says producer Robert Teitel. “While his main objective is to get Driver, he also admires and respects him. He wants Driver to acknowledge him, and becomes increasingly angry that Driver doesn’t give him respect. Throughout the film, you witness him progressively going off the deep end.”

When casting the role of Killer, the filmmakers assumed they would find another big-name actor to round out the male lead triangle. But they were blown away by a virtually unknown British actor named Oliver Jackson-Cohen.

“Oliver came in to read and really nailed the part,” remembers Teitel. “He never played a scene the same way twice – he always gave a little variation.”

Though the character was not originally written as a Brit, producer Tony Gayton loved what the difference in cultural backstory could bring to the character. “It added another layer of strangeness to Killer. You wouldn’t normally think of an English hit man out in the middle of the desert.”

Jackson-Cohen was intrigued by Killer and the opportunity to show a different side of a hitman’s life. “I remember reading the script and thinking it was the first time I recall a movie dealing with a hitman carrying out a hit while simultaneously having to live with himself and deal with repercussions in his personal life.”

“Oliver has done a tremendous job with the character,” says Johnson. “It’s not an easy character to play, especially considering the character is on-and-off medication.”

Opening soon across the Philippines, “Faster” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

Two Actors Hot on Trail of Dwayne Johnson in ‘Faster’ originally appeared on Starmometer on February 8, 2011.

After 10 years in prison, Driver (Johnson) has a singular focus – to avenge the murder of his brother during the botched bank robbery that led to his imprisonment. Now a free man with a deadly to-do list in hand, he’s finally on his mission…but with two men on his trail – a veteran cop (Thornton) just days from retirement, and a young egocentric hitman (Jackson-Cohen) with a flair for the art of killing and a newfound worthy opponent. The hunter is also the hunted. It’s a do or die race to the list’s finish as the mystery surrounding his brother’s murder deepens, and new details emerge along the way hinting that Driver’s list may be incomplete.

It was a fateful day a few years ago when writer/producer Tony Gayton approached his brother, and “Faster” co-writer, Joe Gayton with the thread of an idea. “I remember imagining a guy in prison on the day of his release getting a speech from the warden then just breaking into a sprint out of the prison gates and going straight to kill someone,” recalls Tony Gayton. “I liked the idea of this introduction where you have no idea who this guy is. He turns out to be the hero out to get revenge for his brother’s murder but he could very well have turned out to be the bad guy.” On that day, the character that would come to be known simply as ‘Driver’ was born.

“(Driver) is like a shark – he has a clear mission,” notes Joe Gayton who also serves as Executive Producer on the film. “It was apparent at this early stage that his determination would provide for a true, high-octane adventure.” As the screenplay evolved, what emerged was not just an action film but also a character study and exploration into the minds of three men – the other two main characters known simply by the monikers ‘Cop’ and ‘Killer.’ But Driver’s mission was at the story’s core and finding the right actor to portray him would be the first target.

Director George Tillman, Jr. responded to the material as a throwback to action films of the 70s. “70s action films have cool heroes but those same heroes also have a dramatic essence; they are complicated characters. I think audiences today yearn for a more sophisticated action film where they can relate to the characters since people are by nature complicated.”

Producer Bob Teitel had a similar reaction to the material’s nostalgic factor. “It felt like a movie you don’t really see these days – where the lead character has a presence that immediately commands the audience’s attention and they instantly follow him on his journey. It’s only along that journey that the audience learns more about the character.”

Opening soon across the Philippines, “Faster” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

Slow Justice is No Justice in ‘Faster’ originally appeared on Starmometer on February 2, 2011.

Now a free man with a deadly to-do list in hand, he’s finally on his mission…but with two men on his trail – a veteran cop (Billy Bob Thornton) just days from retirement, and a young egocentric hitman (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) with a flair for the art of killing and a newfound worthy opponent.

The hunter is also the hunted. It’s a do or die race to the list’s finish as the mystery surrounding his brother’s murder deepens, and new details emerge along the way hinting that Driver’s list may be incomplete.
The cast of “Faster” is lead by Dwayne Johnson (“The Rundown,” “The Scorpion King”), Billy Bob Thornton (“Eagle Eye”) and newcomer Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Carla Gugino (“Watchmen”), Maggie Grace (“Taken”) and Moon Bloodgood (“Terminator Salvation”).

George Tillman, Jr. (“Men of Honor”) directs from a screenplay written by Joe and Tony Gayton. “Like Driver, I was on a mission – I had to do this movie,” explains Tillman. “I knew this script would take a director with a strong point-of-view, and with an understanding of its value from a universal standpoint. I understood these characters and what it was within this story that could be relatable to audiences. This film is ultimately about letting the past go – only then can you move forward in life. So I set out not just to show visuals, but to address the thematic ideas at the story’s core.”

Opening soon across the Philippines, “Faster” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

Watch the trailer here:

Sneak Peek: ‘Faster’ Starring Dwayne Johnson originally appeared on Starmometer on January 28, 2011.

Here’s the logline of the movie:

Dwayne Johnson is “The Tooth Fairy,” also known as Derek Thompson, a hard-charging minor league hockey player whose nickname comes from his habit of separating opposing players from their bicuspids. When Derek discourages a youngster’s hopes, he’s sentenced to one week’s hard labor as a real tooth fairy, complete with the requisite tutu, wings and magic wand. At first, Derek “can’t handle the tooth” – bumbling and stumbling as he tries to furtively wing his way through strangers’ homes…doing what tooth fairies do. But as Derek slowly adapts to his new position, he begins to rediscover his own forgotten dreams.

Tooth Fairy will hit theaters on January 22, 2010.

Dwayne Johnson Stars as ‘Tooth Fairy’ originally appeared on Starmometer on September 22, 2009.

Here are this year’s winners:

MOVIES

Favorite Movie
High School Musical 3: Senior Year

Favorite Male Movie Star
Will Smith, Hancock

Favorite Female Movie Star
Vanessa Hudgens, High School Musical 3: Senior Year

Favorite Animated Movie
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie
Jack Black, as Po, Kung Fu Panda

MUSIC

Favorite Song
“Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It),” Beyonce

Favorite Male Singer
Jesse McCartney

Favorite Female Singer
Miley Cyrus

Favorite Music Group
Jonas Brothers

TELEVISION

Favorite TV Show
iCarly

Favorite Reality Show
American Idol

Favorite Television Actor
Dylan Sprouse, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody

Favorite Television Actress
Selena Gomez, Wizards of Waverly Place

Favorite Cartoon
SpongeBob SquarePants

SPORTS

Favorite Male Athlete
Peyton Manning

Favorite Female Athlete
Candace Parker

EXTRAS

Favorite Video Game
Guitar Hero World Tour

Favorite Book
Twilight series

Click here to view the complete list of nominees.

2009 Kids’ Choice Awards – Winners originally appeared on Starmometer on March 30, 2009.

Gist: A taxi driver who gets more than get bargained for when he picks up two teen runaways. Not only does the pair possess supernatural powers, but they’re also trying desperately to escape people who have made them their targets.

Video Link: Race to Witch Mountain – Movie Trailer HD

Race to Witch Mountain – Movie Preview originally appeared on Starmometer on January 25, 2009.