LOS ANGELES: John Cena spent much of his childhood playing with Matchbox cars, so when the chance came to hit the gas in 'Matchbox: The Movie', he jumped behind the wheel.
The action-comedy film, out last Friday on Apple TV, follows the reunion of a group of childhood friends — a gathering that veers unexpectedly when they're caught in the middle of a wild mission to recover a nuclear warhead.
Starring Cena, Jessica Biel, Arturo Castro, Sam Richardson and Teyonah Parris, the movie directed by Sam Hargrave melds high-octane scenes with more humorous moments.
It also taps into nostalgia for the toy cars, which originated after English engineer Jack Odell designed the first model to comply with a 1952 British school rule requiring toys to fit inside a matchbox.
"If you have childhood memories like me of Matchbox, I think you're going to appreciate all the Easter eggs in there. And if you don't know anything about Matchbox or the Mattel franchise, you're going to sit down and really enjoy this movie," Cena said during a roundtable with journalists.
The action scenes proved difficult for both Cena and his co-star Biel.
Training focused more on learning to move in new ways and doing fight scenes with greater fluidity, Cena said.
And, of course, to "gain the courage to jump off a building", he added.
ADRENALINE RUSH
Biel said it was the driving that propelled her out of her comfort zone.
"I've never learned how to spin a car, you know, in a 180 and stop it on a mark," she said.
The experience proved an adrenaline rush, Biel added.
Driving "was the coolest stuff I got to do", she said. "Going 60-plus miles an hour on a freeway with a bunch of camera cars everywhere, and guys on motorcycles, and gals in giant semis. There was a really major sense of being safe for everyone else's sake."
Given the demanding action scenes, both actors said the direction of Hargrave was crucial.
The filmmaker is known for his stunt work and coordination on Marvel Cinematic Universe films.
"He was such a big draw to this movie because of his experience and his expertise in the stunt world, and how he likes to do things practically," Biel said.
For the actors, it was also an opportunity to reflect on the importance of friendship, and to share stories from behind the wheel.
Cena, who is himself a car collector, recounted one of the most significant car purchases of his life — "a fake Lamborghini".
He bought the vehicle on the cheap with the intention of fixing it up himself. Ultimately, he blew US$825,000 and two decades of work on the venture in vain.
But he learned a valuable life lesson.
"If you think it's too good to be true," he said, "it's too good to be true".
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd