How Jason Statham’s ‘encyclopedic’ motion information 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 manner.

It’s traditional Statham stuff, nevertheless it’s a distinct form of venture for director David Ayer, greatest recognized 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 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 attention-grabbing 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 chance to work with Jason, who I’ve at all times esteemed as an actor. Nice performer, nice bodily motion man, I feel he’s the most effective. 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 be taught his language as an actor, after which do my greatest 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. However then on set, he’s A-plus-game all the best way, and calls for all people else brings their A-game.

I really ended up studying lots about motion. I’ve shot a number of 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 battle choreo, and he can let you know 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 digital camera, 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 understand 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 you then go and have a look at the monitor, and he is aware of when it’s proper with out wanting on the monitor, which is a extremely uncommon present.

Photograph: 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 superb man. Bay Space child, only a whole martial arts, karate geek. From the 87eleven college of arduous knocks of stunt efficiency, he has this visible understanding of the best way to get the look and the choreography wanted on digital camera.

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 do not forget that in another way. The viewers is so refined, and has such a complicated eye. You’re at all times attempting to exceed that. And with Jeremy, you possibly can see it. There’s a number of motion. 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 motion sequence to execute?

I’d should 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 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 really actually apprehensive about it till I lastly noticed the scene reduce collectively and it performed past my expectations.

It’s scary typically. Typically, you simply suck it up and plow ahead and hope for the most effective. That’s what I feel folks don’t perceive about films, is that they grow to be their very own factor. They unfold the best way they’re going to unfold, and you may’t at all times management that.

One in every of my favourite issues concerning the motion within the film is how prop-based it will get. You’ve 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 motion carry to these sequences?

That’s all the pieces proper there. Jason Statham is enjoying the Beekeeper. He’s not [playing] a tactical motion man, with the pistol capturing. He’s extra about utilizing the setting and at all times realizing the place to place his palms and what to seize subsequent, and the best way to use the instruments which are accessible to him instantly.

And it’s additionally fairly enjoyable. It’s like, Oh, nicely, we will use a stapler, or we will use the telephone, we will 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 brief weapon for the Beekeeper, and he’s gonna discover one thing to harm you.

Photograph: Daniel Smith/Amazon MGM Studios

You’ve this tragic revenge story, nevertheless it’s referred to 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 stability these two disparate components?

That was the toughest factor for me. I knew that was going to be my huge problem going into it, as a result of I come from a number of 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 folks 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 Arduous, 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 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 realized that with Spy, however for these of us who’ve been watching his motion films ceaselessly, he’s a extremely humorous man. And he’s in a position to ship a number of these bee-centric one-liners in a manner that few different leads actually may.

That’s the factor. He can say something and also you’re gonna purchase it, ? 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 understand, 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 a number of 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 all the pieces to work collectively. And, , I had a number of 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 form of like Anisette’s [Megan Le] line “You’ve been a busy bee” within the fuel station battle, 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 coloration palette. Was that one thing you considered while 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 — a number of occasions, my coloration palette’s a bit extra naturalistic. I had a brand new digital camera system, the Arri [Alexa] 35, which is simply beautiful, essentially the most stunning digital digital camera I’ve labored with. And I needed to reap the benefits of it. As a result of that polychromatic, colourful really feel of the film is certainly a perform of the digital camera. And once more, simply, as a filmmaker, exploring a brand new look, exploring a brand new type.

Photograph: 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 Arduous within the name middle villain aesthetics, and a number of 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 folks’s expense.

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

I feel 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 a 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 folks have linked with that idea and run with it. And now it’s like, Catch the thrill!

To what you had been saying earlier, I feel folks need 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, Simply have enjoyable. I need to go to a film. I don’t need to be lectured proper now. The world’s robust. I need to neglect my issues and simply eat popcorn and watch folks get their butts kicked who deserve it.

The Beekeeper is now enjoying in theaters.