Justin Lin, director of the Summer box office smash Fast & Furious 5, has hit out at Hollywood's obsession with converting movies filmed in 2D into 3D.
In an exclusive interview with TechRadar's stablemate Home Cinema Choice, Lin reveals there were discussions about releasing the Vin Diesel/The Rock actioner in 3D, but that he fought against it.
'I just think that 3D was seen as a business decision rather than an aesthetic decision when it was brought up. And I had to fight that, because ultimately I think that ripping off the fans and making them pay more money, just so they can see cheap 3D, is a disgrace.'
Doing it right
Lin, who has also directed two other instalments in the petrol-head franchise and has been linked to a new Terminator movie, adds: 'For something like Fast Five, if you were going to do it in 3D, you have to do it right.
'I think you have to be a filmmaker of Cameron's stature or Peter Jackson's stature to get the right kind of situation and finances to be able to explore aesthetically. Other than that you're just trying to rip people off.'
3D conversions have become a contentious issue in Tinseltown, with critics (and sometimes rival filmmakers) attacking the 3D quality of titles like Clash of the Titans and Thor. Yet this hasn't stopped such movies succeeding at the box office.
Of course, Fast & Furious 5 managed to trouser over half a billion dollars at the global box office in plain old-fashioned 2D.
You can read the full interview with Justin Lin on the Home Cinema Choice website.
Fast & Furious 5 is out now on Triple-Play Blu-ray and DVD.
