With the release of Fast 8 mercifully only a week away, the relationship between Dwyane “The Rock” Johnson and Vin Diesel back into the limelight. Every time a new Fast movie comes out, we learn that, shockingly, two of the biggest Alpha Dogs in Hollywood can’t get along. While part of me is sad that two of my idols actively hate each other, I really wouldn’t have it any other way. Duos that can’t stand each other always produce the best results. Think about all the examples: Penn and Teller, Mike and Mad Dog, Abbott and Costello, Lennon and McCartney, Shaq and Kobe, Stallone and Willis, literally any musical duo where one person is more famous than the other, you name it. And there’s absolutely no denying it- every time Rock and Diesel share the screen, the results are pure electricity.
There’s real hatred there. You can feel the animosity. And yet, every scene they share ranks up there among the best ever recorded. This is going to be their fourth movie together, and while I haven’t seen it yet (I somehow don’t get access to advance screenings yet), I already know it’s going to be amazing (quick Fast power rankings: 5,7,6,4,2,1,3). I already know that every Toretto-Hobbs scene is going to be the ultimate combination of great action, poignant self-reflection, and zippy one-liners. Those two just have it, with it being perfect onscreen chemistry. They were created to make cinematic excellence together. And the fact that they hate each other only adds to it. It keeps them from doing too many movies together. If you saturate the market with great Rock-Diesel content, it’s hard to recognize any of it as triumphant anymore. Keep it exclusive. Just make a Fast and Furious movie every other year then don’t speak again until the next one. It’s a perfect formula. Off the top of my head, I really can’t think of another two actors who are in a bunch of things together and are always as good as Rock and Diesel. Scratch that, I know I can’t think of any because no other two actors are capable of reaching the highs these two achieve almost effortlessly. They may be the best entertainment duo since LMFAO. At some point the Oscars have to take notice. I already know that from now until next year’s Oscars, there won’t be five lead acting performances better than either Vin Diesel’s or The Rock’s. They both need to be nominated, at least. Possibly even be co-winners. Actually, The Rock should probably win, because having to pretend to be in the slightest bit threatened by Vin Diesel is maybe the highest degree-of-difficulty acting I’ve ever seen.
Brian's Den 