Paul Walker Is Fast and Furious in 'Brick Mansions' Trailer
The late Paul Walker definitely knows how to make a curtain call.
The “Fast & Furious” star enters Luc Besson kind of territory — and dangerous territory it is — in “Brick Mansions,” one of a few posthumous releases for the young actor who was taken from us way too soon in a car accident last November.
The trailer showcases Walker running, kicking, punching, and leaping about in his role as Damien Collier (an action hero’s name if there ever was one), an undercover cop in a dystopian Detroit that doesn’t have the benefit of Officer Alex J. Murphy patrolling its streets. Crime is dubiously contained by a massive wall surrounding a neighborhood of abandoned ‘brick mansions’ that serve as the headquarters of dangerous criminals — an area that Collier must infiltrate when he teams up with young citizen Lino (David Belle), whose girlfriend has been kidnapped by drug kingpin Tremaine (RZA, oozing villainy).
If this sounds a lot like Besson’s own “District B13” (2004), that’s because “Brick Mansions” is actually the American remake of that minor action classic (with Belle reprising his original role, with a mild name change from ‘Leito’ to ‘Lino’). Oddly enough, this info is left out of the trailer until the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it credits at the end… as is Besson’s name, as he’s previously mentioned only as “From a co-writer of ‘The Transporter.’” Huh.
Even if he’s somewhat incognito with this one, Luc Besson is all over the trailer for “Brick Mansions” as two unlikely yet super-cool partners battle evil via a variety of fighting styles, with Belle’s own physical training discipline, Parkour, being featured in the many wild stunts. But the real pleasure is getting to watch Walker in action, which includes a “Fast & Furious” reference as he gets behind the wheel of a Ford Mustang in one scene.
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Despite playing enemies in the film, Paul Walker and RZA hit it off while working on this project, as the Wu Tang Clan member has since honored his late co-star with a song, a four-minute vocal ballad titled “Destiny Bends,” featuring singer Will Wells. RZA released the song just a couple of days after Walker’s death on Nov. 30, 2013.
"We talked, laughed, and exchanged ideas of life and fatherhood," RZA wrote on his SoundCloud page. “We saw in each other a kindred spirit of men coming from unlikely circumstances, and rising to be the light and beacon of our family and loved ones.”
[Related: Vin Diesel Describes ‘Painful Void’ Since Paul Walker’s Death]
RZA also explained the title of the song: “We had plans to continue working with each other in the future. It seemed destined, but ‘destiny bends.’”
Paul Walker and RZA got to work together at least the one time, and we’ll be able to see them in action — emphasis on the ‘action’ — when “Brick Mansions” opens on April 25.
