How Jason Statham’s ‘encyclopedic’ action knowledge boosted Beekeeper

The brand new Jason Statham January motion film The Beekeeper is what it suggests on the tin: a tongue-in-cheek, bee-themed motion comedy the place Staths doles out punishment to any dangerous man who has the misfortune of buzzing his means.

It’s basic Statham stuff, nevertheless it’s a distinct sort of mission for director David Ayer, finest identified for gritty crime dramas like Avenue Kings and Finish of Watch, and for 2016’s Suicide Squad. Ayer spoke with Polygon about working with Statham, his pleasure round taking up a distinct sort of style mission, and his favourite bee joke from a film that has a veritable hive of them.

Polygon: What first drew you to the mission?

David Ayer: I bought the script, Jason was hooked up. And the script had superb character, this actually attention-grabbing plot construction that simply stored crescendoing. I learn numerous scripts, and I already know what’s going to occur earlier than I flip the web page. And this one bought forward of me. So I knew there was one thing there. And it was a chance to work with Jason, who I’ve all the time esteemed as an actor. Nice performer, nice bodily motion man, I believe he’s the perfect. So the chance to construct a enjoyable, soulful film round him was a no brainer.

What was your collaboration with him like?

What I actually needed to perceive is, he nearly has this unstated contract with the viewers about how he performs and what he’s going to do, and what he doesn’t do, and the way he’s going to ship for them. I needed to study his language as an actor, after which do my finest as a director to showcase that and elevate it. He’s actually regular and humble off-duty. He’s only a common man, and he’s sort of quiet. However then on set, he’s A-plus-game all the way in which, and calls for all people else brings their A-game.

I truly ended up studying lots about motion. I’ve shot numerous motion, however I’ve realized extra about motion from working with Jason Statham than all my different movies mixed.

Like what?

He has an encyclopedic information of cinematic motion. So you are able to do a chunk of struggle choreo, and he can inform you the place he’s seen that in one other film 20 years in the past. He is aware of physique kinetics, in the way it performs on digicam, higher than anyone I’ve ever met. And so he already is aware of if a punch goes to promote — he is aware of it instinctively.

So we’ll be on set. He’ll do his factor, and he’ll realize it’s to not his customary. And he’ll [say], “We’re going once more, we’re going once more,” and [I’m like], Sure, sir. And then you definitely go and take a look at the monitor, and he is aware of when it’s proper with out trying on the monitor, which is a very uncommon present.

Picture: Daniel Smith/Amazon MGM Studios

Second unit director Jeremy Marinas is among the best possible. What was working with him like? What did he carry to the desk?

Jeremy is a good man. Bay Space child, only a complete martial arts, karate geek. From the 87eleven faculty of onerous knocks of stunt efficiency, he has this visible understanding of get the look and the choreography wanted on digicam.

It’s a tricky sport now, as a result of the bar on motion is so excessive nowadays. You go watch a film 20 years in the past, and it’s like, Wow, I keep in mind that in another way. The viewers is so refined, and has such a classy eye. You’re all the time attempting to exceed that. And with Jeremy, you possibly can see it. There’s numerous motion. There’s numerous fights, there’s numerous stunts, and it’s progressive, it simply retains getting larger and higher as we go.

Which was the toughest motion sequence to execute?

I’d must say the fuel station scene. We did it early within the schedule. And in any movie, you’re sort of discovering your sea legs, and also you get higher on daily basis as you’re employed collectively. I didn’t have a lot time to shoot it in any respect. So it was, OK, how do I creatively compress this a lot work into that a lot time? And I didn’t know if I had pulled it off. I used to be truly actually nervous about it till I lastly noticed the scene lower collectively and it performed past my expectations.

It’s scary generally. Generally, you simply suck it up and plow ahead and hope for the perfect. That’s what I believe individuals don’t perceive about films, is that they grow to be their very own factor. They unfold the way in which they’re going to unfold, and you’ll’t all the time management that.

One in all my favourite issues in regards to the motion within the film is how prop-based it will get. You might have an old-school, nearly Jackie Chan vibe, particularly when Statham is utilizing the beekeeping tools as weapons, or within the name heart sequence, with the displays and keyboards. What did the prop-based motion carry to these sequences?

That’s every part proper there. Jason Statham is taking part in the Beekeeper. He’s not [playing] a tactical motion man, with the pistol taking pictures. He’s extra about utilizing the setting and all the time understanding the place to place his fingers and what to seize subsequent, and use the instruments which are out there to him instantly.

And it’s additionally fairly enjoyable. It’s like, Oh, nicely, we are able to use a stapler, or we are able to use the telephone, we are able to use the chair. And Jeremy was nice at constructing that out. It was additionally represented in Kurt [Wimmer]’s script, the concept that a gun is a brief weapon for the Beekeeper, and he’s gonna discover one thing to harm you.

Picture: Daniel Smith/Amazon MGM Studios

You might have this tragic revenge story, nevertheless it’s known as The Beekeeper, and there are numerous foolish bee references and jokes all through the film. How would you describe the film’s tone, and the way did you steadiness these two disparate components?

That was the toughest factor for me. I knew that was going to be my large problem going into it, as a result of I come from numerous straight, intense, gritty drama. I needed to make a broad-playing film. I needed to make a film grandma would watch, I needed to make a film younger individuals would watch, and everybody in between. I actually studied numerous ’80s films: [Richard] Donner, Walter Hill, [John] McTiernan. You see it in Die Laborious, you see it in Deadly Weapon, there’s a spot for the gravitas. There’s a spot for a human reality that’s grounded. And there’s a spot for completely simply going nuts.

I believe that’s one other aspect the place having Statham actually helps, as a result of he’s such a humorous performer. Lots of people realized that with Spy, however for these of us who’ve been watching his motion films without end, he’s a very humorous man. And he’s capable of ship numerous these bee-centric one-liners in a means that few different leads actually may.

That’s the factor. He can say something and also you’re gonna purchase it, you understand? And he has that voice. That voice is so distinctive, and that on-camera presence. He has that film star magic. And I really feel like a lot of that’s simply lacking from cinema proper now. You realize, that sense of enjoyable and journey and Hey, let’s eat popcorn and escape from the issues of the world for 2 hours.

And it’s not simply being quip-based, proper? As a result of there are numerous quippy motion films, however this film higher integrates it into the motion, which makes it much more enjoyable.

That’s the factor, it’s getting every part to work collectively. And, you understand, I had numerous enjoyable making a style film. I’m not gonna say I wasn’t scared going into it.

Do you may have a favourite bee joke or reference within the film?

Oh, man. I sort of like Anisette’s [Megan Le] line “You’ve been a busy bee” within the fuel station struggle, since you instantly know who she is, what she’s about, and that there’s a relationship there.

The film has a closely yellow-and-black shade palette. Was that one thing you considered once you noticed the script? Oh, we need to make it really feel like a bee factor?

Yeah, I imply, you gotta have the nice and cozy honey tones, and the golden mild is a part of it. And with this one — numerous occasions, my shade palette’s just a little extra naturalistic. I had a brand new digicam system, the Arri [Alexa] 35, which is simply attractive, essentially the most lovely digital digicam I’ve labored with. And I needed to make the most of it. As a result of that polychromatic, colourful really feel of the film is unquestionably a operate of the digicam. And once more, simply, as a filmmaker, exploring a brand new look, exploring a brand new type.

Picture: Daniel Smith/Amazon MGM Studios

I’m glad you introduced up McTiernan, as a result of I believe there’s actually a few of Hart Bochner’s Ellis from Die Laborious within the name heart villain aesthetics, and numerous Wolf of Wall Avenue, too. What did you need to evoke with that group of individuals?

[Big sigh] Crypto bros. Folks with an excessive amount of cash, an excessive amount of occurring, an excessive amount of of a way of self. It feels good to be a winner, nevertheless it’s not good to win at different individuals’s expense.

Motion films with brief, nearly foolish titles have been touchdown nicely lately, like Gerard Butler’s Airplane in 2023. What do you suppose a title like this brings to a film?

I believe it’s necessary. It offers you a container to place the world in. It’s so aggressive nowadays, and there’s so many films. The extra you possibly can have just a little enjoyable with the viewers, be intelligent with it, however have it make sense for the mission itself, have it’s a part of the truth of the movie, it’s essential. And I’m truthfully thrilled how a lot individuals have linked with that idea and run with it. And now it’s like, Catch the excitement!

To what you have been saying earlier, I believe individuals need to have enjoyable on the films once more, proper? And one thing like this guarantees you that proper from the soar.

That’s it, man. It’s like, Simply have enjoyable. I need to go to a film. I don’t need to be lectured proper now. The world’s powerful. I need to neglect my issues and simply eat popcorn and watch individuals get their butts kicked who deserve it.

The Beekeeper is now taking part in in theaters.