How Jason Statham’s ‘encyclopedic’ motion data 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 basic Statham stuff, nevertheless it’s a unique form of venture for director David Ayer, greatest 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 over a unique 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 received the script, Jason was hooked up. And the script had wonderful character, this actually attention-grabbing plot construction that simply saved crescendoing. I learn a variety of scripts, and I already know what’s going to occur earlier than I flip the web page. And this one received 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 feel he’s the very 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 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 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 everyone else brings their A-game.

I really ended up studying rather a lot about motion. I’ve shot a variety 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 data of cinematic motion. So you are able to do a chunk of combat 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 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 comprehend it’s to not his normal. 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 have 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.

Photograph: Daniel Smith/Amazon MGM Studios

Second unit director Jeremy Marinas is likely one of the very best. What was working with him like? What did he convey to the desk?

Jeremy is a good man. Bay Space child, only a complete martial arts, karate geek. From the 87eleven college of laborious knocks of stunt efficiency, he has this visible understanding of find out how to get the look and the choreography wanted on digital camera.

It’s a troublesome sport now, as a result of the bar on motion is so excessive as of late. You go watch a film 20 years in the past, and it’s like, Wow, I keep in mind that in a different way. The viewers is so refined, and has such a classy eye. You’re all the time making an attempt to exceed that. And with Jeremy, you may see it. There’s a variety of motion. There’s a variety of fights, there’s a variety 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 gasoline 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 daily 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 fearful about it till I lastly noticed the scene minimize collectively and it performed past my expectations.

It’s scary generally. Typically, you simply suck it up and plow ahead and hope for the very best. That’s what I feel folks don’t perceive about motion pictures, is that they turn out to be their very own factor. They unfold the best way they’re going to unfold, and you may’t all the time management that.

One in all my favourite issues concerning the motion within the film is how prop-based it will get. You’ve gotten an old-school, nearly 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 convey to these sequences?

That’s the whole lot proper there. Jason Statham is taking part in the Beekeeper. He’s not [playing] a tactical motion man, with the pistol capturing. He’s extra about utilizing the surroundings and all the time realizing the place to place his palms and what to seize subsequent, and find out how to use the instruments which can be obtainable to him instantly.

And it’s additionally fairly enjoyable. It’s like, Oh, properly, 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.

Photograph: Daniel Smith/Amazon MGM Studios

You’ve gotten this tragic revenge story, nevertheless it’s known as The Beekeeper, and there are a variety 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 parts?

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 a variety 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 variety of ’80s motion pictures: [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 fact that’s grounded. And there’s a spot for completely simply going nuts.

I feel that’s one other component 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 motion pictures eternally, he’s a very humorous man. And he’s in a position to ship a variety 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, you realize? 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 a variety of quippy motion motion pictures, however this film higher integrates it into the motion, which makes it much more enjoyable.

That’s the factor, it’s getting the whole lot to work collectively. And, you realize, I had a variety of enjoyable making a style film. I’m not gonna say I wasn’t scared going into it.

Do you have got 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 gasoline station combat, 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 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 variety of instances, my coloration palette’s a little bit extra naturalistic. I had a brand new digital camera system, the Arri [Alexa] 35, which is simply attractive, probably the most lovely 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 operate of the digital camera. And once more, simply, as a filmmaker, exploring a brand new look, exploring a brand new model.

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 Laborious within the name middle villain aesthetics, and a variety of Wolf of Wall Avenue, too. What did you wish to evoke with that group of individuals?

[Big sigh] Crypto bros. Individuals with an excessive amount of cash, an excessive amount of happening, 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 motion pictures with quick, nearly foolish titles have been touchdown properly just lately, like Gerard Butler’s Aircraft in 2023. What do you suppose a title like this brings to a film?

I feel it’s vital. It offers you a container to place the world in. It’s so aggressive as of late, and there’s so many motion pictures. 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 truth of the movie, it’s essential. And I’m truthfully 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 wish to have enjoyable on the motion pictures 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 wish to go to a film. I don’t wish to be lectured proper now. The world’s robust. I wish to overlook my issues and simply eat popcorn and watch folks get their butts kicked who deserve it.

The Beekeeper is now taking part in in theaters.