Reborn Action Star: Starting in Hollywood

As the first rays of dawn pierced the horizon over the Taklamakan Desert, a convoy of steel and madness lay silently waiting at the entrance to Devil's Valley.

Twelve doomsday vehicles lined up in a row, like sleeping mechanical behemoths, casting menacing silhouettes against the reddish-brown Yardang landforms.

These are no ordinary vehicles—they are works of art from the wasteland, violent aesthetics watered with gasoline and blood.

Meng Tao is leading his staff to inspect each car one by one. Today's filming mission has high requirements for the condition of the vehicles, so he must carefully ensure that the vehicles are in good condition.

They walked to the front of the convoy, and Meng Tao jumped up and climbed onto the "Bonebreaker" vehicle at the very front of the convoy.

Sitting in the driver's seat of this car is Johnny Depp, who plays the leader of the War Boys.

"Didn't we check it once last night?" Depp asked, puzzled. "Why check it again?"

“Last night we mainly checked the car’s condition, but the lighting wasn’t good. This morning we need to focus on checking the ornaments. Don’t you see how many ornaments there are? What if there’s a safety hazard and an accident happens?” Meng Tao said helplessly.

The entire "Bonebreaker" vehicle had been modified beyond recognition.

The front of the vehicle was welded with three layers of bucket-shaped rams that gleamed coldly, and the surface was densely covered with license plates, which, according to the plot, were removed from the vehicles of the defeated.

Outside the cockpit, there was a ring of rotating chain hammers, each iron ball engraved with a skull symbol, and bloody, dried ears hanging from the chain—the crew must have lost countless brain cells trying to make these props realistic.

Not only has the "Bone Crusher" vehicle been modified to look imposing, but the "Hellfire" vehicle on the right looks even more frenzied. The entire roof has been transformed into a flame-throwing platform, and the exhaust pipe is not a regular prototype but has been specially forged into an open snake mouth shape, which spews out ghostly blue flames every time it slows down.

The "Razor Chariot" on the left is the most bizarre. Its body is pieced together from the wreckage of seven different cars, and its doors are filled with rusty scalpel blades. It trembles slightly in the hot desert wind, making a metallic grinding sound that makes your hair stand on end.

Besides the three leading doomsday vehicles, the remaining nine vehicles each had their own unique features. Some had modified heavy machine guns mounted on their roofs, with the barrels deliberately polished into a spiral shape; some were covered in welded spikes, resembling steel hedgehogs; and some had iron cages hanging outside their carriages, clearly cages used for hunting slaves...

It can be said that as soon as these twelve tanks are put out, they create a strong sense of apocalypse.

If it were one of those poorly made movies, they would probably just use a few off-road vehicles to make them look old, and that would be enough to convey the meaning.

However, the effort required by the Mad Max: Fury Road crew to create personalized and custom-designed decorations for each vehicle is exponentially greater in terms of manpower and resources.

For Meng Tao, this film was also the one with the most troublesome equipment maintenance of all the films he had ever worked on, requiring him to spend several times more effort.

But Meng Tao didn't complain at all, because it was all necessary.

The visual impact of the film, its extremely violent post-apocalyptic punk aesthetic, made him feel that it was all worthwhile.

After Meng Tao carefully inspected the vehicle, Depp said, "Okay, you don't need to check my car so thoroughly. Take a closer look at Charlize's car; all our women are in there."

"I know, don't worry." Meng Tao raised his head and glanced at the war truck not far away.

The scene we filmed today is about Commander Friosa, played by Charlize Theron, escaping in a war truck with Immortal Joe's five wives.

Meanwhile, Depp leads the War Boys in a chase, driving twelve doomsday vehicles.

This scene had to be filmed in Devil's Valley, where the rock pillars were dense and visibility was poor. It was quite dangerous, as the vehicle could easily crash into the rock pillars and cause a serious accident.

What's even more troublesome is that these Yardang landforms, though seemingly solid, are actually loosely structured. If struck by a high-speed vehicle, they are highly likely to collapse and cause secondary damage.

The most thrilling part is that at the end of this scene, Charlize Theron has to drive a truck across a broken canyon.

The thought of that scene sent a chill down Meng Tao's and Depp's spines.

The canyon that the jump spans is 29.4 meters wide and over 100 meters deep, equivalent to the height of a 30-story building.

The valley floor is hard, weathered rock; if the jump fails and the vehicle crashes, both the driver and the vehicle will be smashed to pieces.

There are three main dangers in filming this scene:
Firstly, trucks have a relatively bulky structure, making them less suitable for leaping than off-road vehicles. Even with precise calculations of the takeoff angle and speed, absolute confidence is still not guaranteed.

Secondly, there are strong winds in the desert. If the wind direction suddenly changes while the vehicle is flying over, especially if it becomes a headwind, it may cause the vehicle to fall due to insufficient flying distance.

Thirdly, it is important to control the cushioning upon landing, otherwise the people inside the vehicle could suffer internal injuries from the shock. It is also crucial to maintain vehicle stability and prevent rollover.

Just thinking about these three dangers made Depp and Meng Tao break out in a cold sweat.

"You think there won't be any problems with today's filming?" Depp asked.

“There shouldn’t be any problems. After the filming plan for Mad Max 4 was finalized, Charlize had already undergone more than a month of stunt training before coming here to film,” Meng Tao said. “She’s very ambitious, but she certainly has the ability to command high salaries. I admire her. Just trust her.”

Just as Meng Tao said, Charlize really went all out.

During the filming of "The King of Spies 2", Charlize did all the stunts herself, whether it was the endless fires in Canada or climbing the ancient ice walls of the Yala Snow Mountain.

For today's canyon jump scene, she naturally won't use a stunt double, but will choose to do it herself.

“Rationally speaking, I absolutely trust Charlize,” Dempton said after a moment’s thought. “But Amber and Scarlett are in the car too. Aren’t you worried?”

Meng Tao pointed to the war truck in the distance and said, "Don't worry, isn't Lin Yuan on board for support? With him in the truck, even if something happens, we can make sure everyone is safe."

"Now that you mention it, I have a feeling that something unexpected is about to happen, if nothing unexpected does." Depp said with a mournful face.

"Don't worry! There won't be any problems!" Meng Tao jumped off the "Bone Crusher" vehicle and walked towards the war truck.

Unlike the war trucks of the War Boys, which exude an evil and bloody aura, the war truck that Charlize drives looks much more respectable, but it has still undergone countless modifications.

This truck was converted from a heavy-duty tanker truck. The cab retains its original structure but has been fitted with additional steel plates for protection, and asymmetrical armor plates are welded to both sides of the vehicle.
On the left is a flat military steel plate, and on the right is a patchwork of scrap metal, the purpose of which is to create the traces of parts from different periods on the vehicle.

The most noteworthy part of the vehicle is that the original oil tank has been converted into a transport compartment, with a dirty tarpaulin hanging at the opening.

Through the gaps, you could see several blankets laid out inside, and a bucket and a food box fixed in the corner. This was the temporary shelter for the five wives.

Five actresses, including Scarlett Johansson and Amber Heard, who played the wives, were located here during filming.

Of course, Lin Yuan, who provided driving guidance and safety assurances along the way, was also hidden inside the oil tank where the cameras couldn't capture his presence.

Meng Tao climbed onto the oil tank warehouse, and Scarlett immediately went up to him and hugged him.

"What's wrong? Are you nervous?" Meng Tao patted his wife on the back.

“No, Lin Yuan is filming with the car, I’m not worried.” Scarlett shook her head.

“With Lin Yuan here, we have nothing to worry about,” Amber said from the side.

The other three actresses in the carriage nodded in agreement. After two or three weeks of filming, everyone in the crew had long been captivated by Lin Yuan.

Everyone witnessed Lin Yuan sinking into the quicksand filled with high-temperature steam, and watched him drive through the lightning net during a thunderstorm, climb the hundred-meter-high drilling support, and fly through the air amidst the roar of super lightning while stepping on sand-rushing boards.

They had only ever seen such miracles on the big screen before, but this time they experienced it up close, which made them regard Lin Yuan as a god and develop a somewhat blind and absolute trust in him.

But they believed that as long as Lin Yuan was there, no matter what unexpected events occurred, he could ensure their safety.

"I'll go check on Lin Yuan." Meng Tao patted Scarlett's head again, then crawled out of the cabin and headed towards the front of the car.

Lin Yuan and Charlize were sitting side by side on the hood of the car, talking quietly to each other.

"What? Are you giving me last-minute cramming?" Meng Tao joked. He knew it couldn't be like that, because Charlize had already undergone countless training sessions; otherwise, he wouldn't have agreed to such a dangerous shoot.

"Yes!" Lin Yuan nodded.

"..."

Charlize patted Lin Yuan's thigh: "Don't scare Coach Meng."

She looked at Meng Tao and smiled, "I've already mastered all the essential technical points. I've also undergone targeted training to address any potential unexpected situations."

Scarlett and Amber are in my car, don't worry.

"Charlize, you're the most reliable one!" Meng Tao exclaimed. "Lin Yuan really gave me a fright just now."

"Who told you to lack confidence? You personally organized the modification of this truck; I suspect you even put a tank engine in it. A heavy truck reaching a top speed of 220 kilometers per hour?" Lin Yuan chuckled and teased.
"What's there to worry about? Just floor the gas pedal as you go uphill. With such powerful acceleration, even bricks can fly. Are you worried that the truck can't get over a small canyon?"

Hearing Lin Yuan say that, Meng Tao felt much more at ease. He patted Lin Yuan on the shoulder and said, "Actually, what really puts my mind at ease is you. In case anything unexpected happens, you'll be there for me..."

Seeing Lin Yuan raise his foot to kick, Meng Tao hurriedly covered his buttocks and jumped out of the driver's seat: "I'm going to check the vehicle's condition."

As Meng Tao left, Lin Yuan asked with a smile, "Were you nervous?"

Charlize shook her head: "Not at all, this is what I've always been looking forward to. Lin Yuan Film Studio can't be the only one who can shoot thrilling action scenes. I want to prove that others may not be as good as you, but they are definitely not bad either."

"You've already proven yourself."

“It’s different. Before, I was just accompanying you through the challenges. This time, I want to rely on my own strength to prove that I am also an excellent action movie actor.”

"You will, I believe in you."

Lin Yuan was very moved. Of course, he knew why Charlize was working so hard.

At that moment, director Miller's voice came through the earpiece: "All departments, get ready. Filming is about to begin."

"Ready, received!" Lin Yuan and Charlize said together.

"come on!"

……

……

"Action!" With director Miller's command, the intense filming resumed.

With the roar of its engine, the war truck took the lead, traversing the winding canyons of the Yardang landform.

The reddish-brown wind-eroded rock pillars, like the ribs of a giant, press down from both sides, casting jagged shadows.

Commander Freya, one mechanical prosthetic arm gripping the steering wheel, her other intact hand rapidly shifting gears.

In the rearview mirror, twelve modified doomsday vehicles churned up dust and relentlessly pursued each other, while the war boys' frenzied howls echoed between the rock walls.

Commander Freya stepped on the gas, and the engine of the truck, of unknown model, roared violently, causing the surrounding sand to tremble.

Five brides huddled in the rear cabin, their gorgeous silk skirts contrasting sharply with the rusty carriage.

"Can we really escape?" the youngest, Scarlett, asked tremblingly, her fingers gripping Amber's sleeve tightly.

Freya didn't turn around; her mechanical fingers rapidly tossed switches on the dashboard: "Freedom or death."

Despite the truck's accelerator being floored, its speed was still no match for the war chariot. The War Boy's death chariot continued to approach, the skull decorations welded to the front of the vehicle gleaming pale in the sunlight.

"Hold on!" Freya shouted.

The bride, Scarlett, clung tightly to the steel bars on the roof of the car, her silk skirt fluttering wildly in the wind.

The heavy truck suddenly swerved and slammed into a doomsday vehicle that was following closely behind.

The heavy oil tank was like a hammer, violently throwing the car away, causing it to crash into the wind-eroded rock wall and turn into a pile of scrap metal.

Upon seeing this, the war boys were not afraid at all; instead, they cheered excitedly.

Suddenly, the war machine named "Hellfire" accelerated, and the war boy in the driver's seat, his face covered in white powder, frantically pounded the chrome paint on his chest.

"Witness me!" he screamed as he pressed the button, and a torrent of flames erupted from it.

Freya jerked the steering wheel, and the truck spun almost vertically along a wind-eroded rock wall.

The flames brushed past the rear compartment and ignited the spare fuel drums tied there.

Without hesitation, she pressed the release button, and the burning oil drum crashed to the ground, exploding into an orange-black mushroom cloud in the canyon.

The two pursuing cars were unable to dodge and were turned into rolling fireballs in the explosion.

Director Miller stared intently at the screen in front of the monitor.

It was a good start, but he was still uneasy.

It's no wonder he was so anxious; everyone around the director was on edge.

After all, it wasn't Lin Yuan who performed the dangerous action scenes today. (End of Chapter)