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

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

It’s basic Statham stuff, however it’s a distinct form of venture for director David Ayer, finest recognized for gritty crime dramas like Street Kings and End of Watch, and for 2016’s Suicide Squad. Ayer spoke with Polygon about working with Statham, his pleasure round taking over a distinct form of style venture, and his favourite bee joke from a film that has a veritable hive of them.

Polygon: What first drew you to the venture?

David Ayer: I acquired the script, Jason was connected. And the script had wonderful character, this actually fascinating plot construction that simply stored crescendoing. I learn a number of scripts, and I already know what’s going to occur earlier than I flip the web page. And this one acquired forward of me. So I knew there was one thing there. And it was a possibility to work with Jason, who I’ve at all times esteemed as an actor. Great performer, nice bodily action man, I feel he’s one of the best. 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 virtually 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 form of quiet. But then on set, he’s A-plus-game all the way in which, and calls for everyone else brings their A-game.

I really ended up studying rather a lot about action. I’ve shot a number of action, however I’ve discovered extra about action from working with Jason Statham than all my different movies mixed.

Like what?

He has an encyclopedic knowledge of cinematic action. So you are able to do a bit 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 normal. And he’ll [say], “We’re going again, we’re going again,” and [I’m like], Yes, 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 extremely uncommon present.

Photo: Daniel Smith/Amazon MGM Studios

Second unit director Jeremy Marinas is without doubt one of the very best. What was working with him like? What did he deliver to the desk?

Jeremy is a superb man. Bay Area child, only a complete martial arts, karate geek. From the 87eleven faculty of laborious knocks of stunt efficiency, he has this visible understanding of tips on how to get the look and the choreography wanted on digicam.

It’s a tricky sport now, as a result of the bar on action is so excessive today. 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 subtle, and has such a classy eye. You’re at all times attempting to exceed that. And with Jeremy, you may see it. There’s a number of action. There’s a number of fights, there’s a number of stunts, and it’s progressive, it simply retains getting larger and higher as we go.

Which was the toughest action sequence to execute?

I’d need to say the fuel station scene. We did it early within the schedule. And in any movie, you’re form of discovering your sea legs, and also you get higher each day 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 really actually nervous about it till I lastly noticed the scene lower collectively and it performed past my expectations.

It’s scary typically. Sometimes, you simply suck it up and plow ahead and hope for one of the best. That’s what I feel individuals don’t perceive about films, is that they turn out to be their very own factor. They unfold the way in which they’re going to unfold, and you may’t at all times management that.

One of my favourite issues concerning the action within the film is how prop-based it will get. You have an old-school, virtually Jackie Chan vibe, particularly when Statham is utilizing the beekeeping gear as weapons, or within the name middle sequence, with the screens and keyboards. What did the prop-based action deliver to these sequences?

That’s every thing proper there. Jason Statham is enjoying the Beekeeper. He’s not [playing] a tactical action man, with the pistol taking pictures. He’s extra about utilizing the setting and at all times figuring out the place to place his arms and what to seize subsequent, and tips on how to 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 a gun is a short lived weapon for the Beekeeper, and he’s gonna discover one thing to harm you.

Photo: Daniel Smith/Amazon MGM Studios

You have this tragic revenge story, however it’s known as The Beekeeper, and there are a number of 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 massive problem going into it, as a result of I come from a number of straight, intense, gritty drama. I wished to make a broad-playing film. I wished to make a film grandma would watch, I wished to make a film younger individuals would watch, and everybody in between. I actually studied a number of ’80s films: [Richard] Donner, Walter Hill, [John] McTiernan. You see it in Die Hard, you see it in Lethal Weapon, there’s a spot for the gravitas. There’s a spot for a human fact that’s grounded. And there’s a spot for completely simply going nuts.

I feel that’s one other factor the place having Statham actually helps, as a result of he’s such a humorous performer. Lots of people discovered that with Spy, however for these of us who’ve been watching his action films eternally, he’s a extremely humorous man. And he’s capable of ship a number of these bee-centric one-liners in a manner that few different leads actually might.

That’s the factor. He can say something and also you’re gonna purchase it, you recognize? 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 know, 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? Because there are a number of quippy action films, however this film higher integrates it into the action, which makes it much more enjoyable.

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

Do you’ve gotten a favourite bee joke or reference within the film?

Oh, man. I form 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 if you noticed the script? Oh, we wish to make it really feel like a bee factor?

Yeah, I imply, you gotta have the nice and cozy honey tones, and the golden gentle is a part of it. And with this one — a number of instances, my shade palette’s a little bit extra naturalistic. I had a brand new digicam system, the Arri [Alexa] 35, which is simply beautiful, probably the most stunning digital digicam I’ve labored with. And I wished to make the most of it. Because that polychromatic, colourful really feel of the film is certainly a operate of the digicam. And once more, simply, as a filmmaker, exploring a brand new look, exploring a brand new type.

Photo: Daniel Smith/Amazon MGM Studios

I’m glad you introduced up McTiernan, as a result of I feel there’s definitely a few of Hart Bochner’s Ellis from Die Hard within the name middle villain aesthetics, and a number of Wolf of Wall Street, too. What did you wish to evoke with that group of individuals?

[Big sigh] Crypto bros. People 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, however it’s not good to win at different individuals’s expense.

Action films with quick, virtually foolish titles have been touchdown nicely lately, like Gerard Butler’s Plane in 2023. What do you suppose a title like this brings to a film?

I feel it’s necessary. It provides you a container to place the world in. It’s so aggressive today, and there’s so many films. The extra you may have a little bit enjoyable with the viewers, be intelligent with it, however have it make sense for the venture itself, have or not it’s a part of the fact of the movie, it’s essential. And I’m actually thrilled how a lot individuals have related with that idea and run with it. And now it’s like, Catch the thrill!

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

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

The Beekeeper is now enjoying in theaters.