The action-powerhouse known as ‘The Expendables II’ hit theaters Friday, August 17, 2012, and reunited everyone’s favorite action stars to once again save the day. The previous film posted relatively successful numbers, topping $100 million domestically, but considering its hefty $80 million budget, it ended up being a trade off. The first film was widely liked by audiences and continued to do well in the foreign market.

Its sequel opened at $28 million, which missed the $34 million mark set by its predecessor. Interestingly, ‘Expendables II’, while an enjoyable film, is not quite the marvel that the previous film managed to be.

‘Expendables II’ starts in a crime-infested city in Nepal where the titular Expendables kick in the doors to rescue a client. After a spectacular opening sequence, riddled with violence and fantastic fight scenes, Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) and company rescue Trench (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and a Chinese millionaire before escaping their pursuers.

Like the previous film, Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), Yin Yang (Jet Li), Hael Caesar (Terry Crews), and Toll Road (Randy Couture) are in tow. However, this time around there are two changes: Yin leaves right after the rescue and we meet Billy (Liam Hemsworth), an ex-Army sniper.

The crew returns to the states to celebrate their successful mission and Billy tells Barney he’ll go with them on one more mission before quitting to stay with his girlfriend in Paris. Barney then runs into Mr. Church (Bruce Willis), who is annoyed that the Expendables stole $5 million from him and killed a rogue CIA agent in the previous film, but he kept them out of jail because he wanted to use them later as a favor.

He orders them to retrieve the contents of a safe that were in a plane that was shot down. He also sends an expert safe cracker named Maggie (Yu Nan) to get the safe open. Barney reluctantly agrees and the team heads out on the mission.

They reach the plane and crack the safe, retrieving a miniature device with the blueprint to a mine full of plutonium. However, they are intercepted by Jean Vilain (Jean Claude Van Damme), who ransoms off Billy in exchange for the device. After they give it up, Vilain kills Billy and leaves. Barney and the crew are devastated and angry so they swear to kill Vilain before he can sell the plutonium to his buyers.

Like the first film, ‘Expendables II’ delivers on the high-octane action and impressive fight sequences. Each man pulls his weight in delivering the pain to the bad guys with absolutely no regrets whatsoever. It bears mentioning that initially, Chuck Norris wanted the film to be PG-13, but Stallone decided to keep in form with the first film’s R-rating and it is much appreciated. There are plenty of amazing actors and martial artists present that help make this cast one of the best in action movie history.

It is a welcomed sight to see Schwarzenegger, Stallone, and Willis together, especially since there are a ton of in-jokes and film references flying back and forth between them. Additionally, Chuck Norris pops in twice to prove why he is one of the ultimate Internet memes and is a wonderful addition to the cast. Van Damme also proves the years have not taken away his ability to chew scenery and kick the crap out of anyone in his way.

However, while ‘Expendables II’ is tons of fun, it has its share of problems. The first is the death of Billy. The franchise is not shy about poking fun at 1980’s and 1990’s clichés, but it still falls prey to one of the big no-no’s in the writing world. That is, do not introduce a character only to kill them off twenty minutes into the film.

It is unfair to the character, the audience, and the plot itself. There were plenty of other ways to make a revenge plot without killing off Billy. It felt cheap and did not have much of an impact, since he only had about fifteen lines of dialogue.

Secondly, the CG was sub-par. The most noticeable instances were the fake blood spatters that erupted from bad guys when shot and the jungle scenes, which were badly rendered eyesores. The first film had a small problem with these effects but it got worse with this sequel because they used more effects that were not of high quality.

Thirdly, the dialogue is very hit-or-miss. The first film did not have brilliant dialogue, but it was serviceable and made better by one truly amazing scene from Mickey Rourke, who was sadly absent from this movie. There are several times where the characters are talking for little to no reason and their jokes are not very funny.

Lastly, the absences of Jet Li and Mickey Rourke are upsetting because both characters brought excellent energy in the first movie. Li’s interactions with Lundgren were hilarious and endearing. His disappearance is abrupt and it leaves a hole in the group. While Rourke’s part was small in ‘The Expendables,’ he is still sorely missed.

Overall, ‘Expendables II’ does what it set out to do, but it does not surpass the first one in terms of quality. Still, if ever there was an epic action film to see this fall, check it out.

Grade: 3.5/5

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‘The Expendables 2’ not only brings back the star-studded action hero cast of the original, but also expands upon it, adding both more beloved icons and some fresh faces from a new generation of rising stars. Each arrived on set highly trained and ready for anything.

Sylvester Stallone once again takes the lead as Barney Ross, the team’s strong-willed leader who now must grapple with the sudden loss of one of his own. Stallone reveals, “The whole movie sets off on a course of, you might say… revenge . . . as our team sets out to get the people who have done one of us a great disservice. There’s this turn of events that you don’t expect. It’s a tough thing for Barney. At one point, Barney asks ‘Why is it the ones who deserve to live, that want to live the most, die — and the ones that don’t deserve to live, keep on going?’”

Jason Statham also reprises his role of Lee Christmas, the knife-wielding killing machine who wears his heart on his sleeve and struggles in his personal relationships. Statham says of his character: “He’s kind of a workingman’s hero… a guy you’d want to go out and have a beer with.”

In ‘The Expendables 2’, Stallone and Statham had a chance to further hone their irreverent, back-and-forth repartee as relentlessly competitive buddies. Stallone explains: “The relationship between Christmas and Barney was so good in the first movie that we’ve enhanced it with more humor and action. They’re a great team together… like the Odd Couple, really. They’re constantly fighting but have a great affection for each other.”

Producer King-Templeton adds, “Jason and Sly are very good friends themselves so when they’re in character as Barney and Christmas, their banter really comes alive.”

‘The Expendables 2’ also gives audiences another chance to see box-office behemoths Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger together with Stallone – after ‘The Expendables’ became the first time in film history that the three biggest action stars of the last three decades were seen as a trio on screen. Willis and Schwarzenegger return in the roles of the mysterious Mr. Church and the devastating Trench.

“I’m so glad we got Bruce as Mr. Church, because he’s the key to the beginning of the adventure. Mr. Church is an enigma. We don’t really know exactly what he does, but he’s in the thick of things and he’s extremely powerful and devious,” explains Stallone.

Stallone says of Schwarzenegger: “Though our two characters are somewhat archenemies, we’re also compatriots when the stakes are high enough. Trench comes through for us this time! Last time was just a cameo. Here, Arnold’s role is more fleshed out and this will be the first time that we really join together, which we haven’t done in our entire careers.

It’ll be well worth the wait when people see it. Our styles are vastly different, which makes for a great contrast. Arnold has a different way of approaching a role. It’s certainly different than mine, but we arrive at the same destination, which is to entertain the audience.”

Image Courtesy of  Expendables

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With this unparalleled collection of some of the hardest-hitting, highest-kicking, down-and-dirtiest stars ever seen on screen all gathered to tell the story of ‘The Expendables 2’, in theaters August 31, it had everyone on set thinking about just what these remarkably diverse stars share in common – what makes for an action hero?

Certainly they each possess their own version of mad skills, tough-talking attitudes, savvy senses of humor and drive for one kind of glory or another, but it seems something more ties them together under the skin – perhaps it’s an ability to make audiences believe they will stand up for basic justice and righteousness no matter what mayhem comes their way.

Sylvester Stallone says of an action hero’s essence: “It’s not muscles. It’s not incredible athletic ability. I think it has to be something that the audience can relate to – someone touchable, approachable and real. Maybe even somewhat flawed. The hero has to be part of the audience. I really think what makes an action star is the audience’s desire to mentally shove the character forward.”

Director Simon West agrees, “I think a great action hero needs to be vulnerable. If they’re unbeatable, they’re hard to relate to – and that’s what is so great about all the Expendables. They’re always just on the ragged edge and they could fail at any time. I think the audience likes that and that’s key to why they root for them.”

As the cast came together for ‘The Expendables 2’, the atmosphere on set was truly one-of-a-kind. “Pulling together this high-octane mix of alpha-dogs on the same set has never been done before,” admits Stallone. “Nobody on set wanted to be outdone. So, when we were in our 12th hour of shooting for the day, and the time came, they were all bringing their A-games. It was pretty remarkable.”

Producer King-Templeton adds, “All these guys that we have in the film have done some of the best action movies ever made, and are masters of their own arts, so you get them all together in one room and obviously they’re going to be competitive. It was fun to watch – and see who was going to outdo the other.”

Dolph Lundgren says of the good-natured but gung-ho competitive spirit on set, “There was definitely some competitiveness, not just physically but also to do good work. It raises the quality. When you see that list of names on the call sheet it’s almost like you want to frame it and stick it on the wall someplace. I’m sure a lot of the cast and crew will, because I don’t think this will ever happen again.”

Jason Statham, too, was awed by the chance to work daily with a veritable Mount Rushmore of action legends at his side. He sums up the experience with three words. “Stallone, Bruce, Arnold,” he quips. “There it was. They were there along with the rest of this massive line-up and it was a great feeling to see my name with theirs. It’s an amazing privilege.”

Image Courtesy of  Expendables

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The much expected sequel to Sylvester Stallone’s action extravaganza ‘The Expendables 2′ is opening in Los Angeles for the world premiere on August 3, 2012. Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Yin Yang (Jet Li), Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), Toll Road (Randy Couture) and Hale Caesar (Terry Crews) — with newest members Billy the Kid (Liam Hemsworth) and Maggie (Yu Nan) aboard — are reunited when Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) enlists the Expendables to take on a seemingly simple job. The task looks like an easy paycheck for Barney and his band of old-school mercenaries.

But when things go wrong and one of their own is viciously killed, the Expendables are compelled to seek revenge in hostile territory where the odds are stacked against them. Hell-bent on payback, the crew cuts a swath of destruction through opposing forces, wreaking havoc and shutting down an unexpected threat in the nick of time — five tons of weapons-grade plutonium, far more than enough to change the balance of power in the world. But that’s nothing compared to the justice they serve against the villainous adversary who savagely murdered their brother.

That is done the Expendables way….

In a 2012 article, the New York Times Magazine declared the American action hero an endangered species. With the second installment of ‘The Expendables’ adventure, co-screenwriter and star Sylvester Stallone gives audiences an opportunity to appreciate this now rare breed like never before- assembling a group of the biggest, bravest and most bad-ass action stars of all time. Stallone’s aim with ‘The Expendables 2′ was to bring thrill-seeking audiences exactly what they’ve been missing:  that all-American, combustible combo of high-velocity adventure and rollicking, relatable heroes who, no matter the costs, are always ready to throw down for what really matters.

To accomplish this, he wanted to expand the already unprecedented team of blockbuster icons whose rapport formed the heart of the first film. It was a chance to bring together every single one of the larger-than-life personalities who built the great American action film as its own massive genre – who forged an indelible cinematic image, in the words of New York Times journalist Adam Sternbergh, of an America that is “strong, tough, independent and perpetually kicking much butt.”  And it was a chance to give these quintessential rough-hewn renegades a mission that would become a breakneck, personal quest for justice.

Some might not lament that the lone-wolf daredevils, hard-boiled justice-seekers and dogged defenders of such classics as ‘Die Hard’, ‘Rambo’ and ‘Predator’ have been replaced by caped superheroes and surreal special effects, but Stallone knows audiences are still very hungry for the genuine article.  “For ‘The Expendables 2′, we’ve pulled together the most phenomenal action-adventure cast that I’ve ever been involved with,” he says.  “We are bringing back that old time rock ‘n roll, and giving audiences what that they haven’t seen for a while:  visceral, true-to-life action.”

From Lionsgate and Millennium Films, ‘The Expendables 2’ is the highly anticipated sequel to the summer 2010 worldwide box-office success ($274 million worldwide). The film is directed by Simon West. Screenplay by Richard Wenk and Sylvester Stallone. Story by Ken Kaufman & David Agosto and Richard Wenk. Based on Characters Created by David Callaham.

Image Courtesy of  Expendables

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Lionsgate is set to release three big-name movies in 1212/13 and action fans especially should start getting excited. First up, action icon Arnold Schwarzenegger makes his much-anticipated return to the big screen in Korean director Kim Jee-woon’s hard-hitting US directorial debut, ‘The Last Stand’.

After leaving his LAPD narcotics post following a bungled operation that left him wracked with remorse and regret, Sheriff Ray Owens (Schwarzenegger) moved out of Los Angeles and settled into a life fighting what little crime takes place in sleepy border town Sommerton Junction. But that peaceful existence is shattered when Gabriel Cortez (Eduardo Noriega), the most notorious, wanted drug kingpin in the western hemisphere, makes a deadly yet spectacular escape from an FBI prisoner convoy.

With the help of a fierce band of lawless mercenaries led by the icy Burrell (Peter Stormare), Cortez begins racing towards the US-Mexico border at 250 mph in a specially-outfitted Corvette ZR1 with a hostage in tow. Cortez’ path: straight through Summerton Junction, where the whole of the U.S. law enforcement, including Agent John Bannister (Forest Whitaker) will have their final opportunity to intercept him before the violent fugitive slips across the border forever.

At first reluctant to become involved, and then counted out because of the perceived ineptitude of his small town force, Owens ultimately rallies his team and takes the matter into his own hands, setting the stage for a classic showdown.

Directed by Kim Jee-woon and written by Andrew Knauer and Jeffrey Nachmanoff, ‘The Last Stand’ also stars Forest Whitaker, Eduardo Noriega, Rodrigo Santoro, Johnny Knoxville, Jaimie Alexander, Luis Guzmán, Peter Stormare, Zach Gilford and Genesis Rodriguez.

On August 31, horror fans should brace themselves as producer and horror veteran Sam Raimi brings you ‘The Possession’. Based on a true story, ‘The Possession’ is the terrifying story of how one family must unite in order to survive the wrath of an unspeakable evil.

Clyde (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Stephanie Brenek (Kyra Sedgwick) see little cause for alarm when their youngest daughter Em becomes oddly obsessed with an antique wooden box she purchased at a yard sale. But as Em’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic, the couple fears the presence of a malevolent force in their midst, only to discover that the box was built to contain a dibbuk, a dislocated spirit that inhabits and ultimately devours its human host.

Starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan (‘Watchmen’) and Kyra Sedgwick (“The Closer”), ‘The Possession’ is directed by Ole Bornedal (‘Nightwatch’), written by Juliet Snowden & Stiles White, and produced by horror master Sam Raimi along with Robert Tapert and J.R. Young.

Finally, ‘The Expendables’ are back and this time it’s personal.. Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Yin Yang (Jet Li), Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), Toll Road (Randy Couture) and Hale Caesar (Terry Crews) — with newest members Timmons (Liam Hemsworth) and Maggie (Yu Nan) aboard — are reunited when Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) enlists the Expendables to take on a seemingly simple job.

The task looks like an easy paycheck for Barney and his band of old-school mercenaries. But when things go wrong and one of their own is viciously killed, the Expendables are compelled to seek revenge in hostile territory where the odds are stacked against them.

Hell-bent on payback, the crew cuts a swath of destruction through opposing forces, wreaking havoc and shutting down an unexpected threat in the nick of time — six pounds of weapons-grade plutonium, enough to change the balance of power in the world. But that’s nothing compared to the justice they serve against the villainous adversary who savagely murdered their brother.

That is done the Expendables way..

From Lionsgate and Millennium Films, ‘The Expendables 2’, a film by Simon West, is the highly anticipated sequel to the summer 2010 worldwide box-office success ($274 million worldwide). The film stars Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews, Randy Couture, with Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger, with newest cast members Liam Hemsworth, Scott Adkins, martial arts legends Chuck Norris and Jean Claude Van Damme, and Chinese actress Yu Nan as the first female ‘Expendable’.

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Crafting the look of the upcoming action explosion ‘Safe’, starring Jason Statham, involved many hours of discussion between director Boaz Yakin, producer Alexander Bender, Director of Photography Stefan Czapsky, ASC and Production Designer Joseph Nemec III.

“We looked at some ‘70s New York films together,” says Yakin. “I like to use very long and wide lenses so that the film sort of bounces back and forth between a very intimate look and a more revealing look, but not give that comfortable middle ground.”

“We were often working with more than one camera,” Yakin continues, “and Stefan had a way of getting the second camera to tell the story as well as the first camera. I work with a very specific shot list that I put together before filming, and Stefan was able to take the ideas from that shot list and bring something else to it. A different look or take on it. It was extremely effective. He is really, really, really good and the film looks great.”

Production Designer Nemec was faced with the challenge of creating a world that is textured and gritty and evokes New York as it appears in the films of the ‘70s and early ‘80s. “There’s a certain quality about the film ‘The French Connection’ that Boaz liked, and we wanted to keep that in mind,” explains Nemec. “We took out a lot of the greens, a lot of the blues and kept things more browns and tans and creams.”

Though the film is set in New York, filming took place in both New York and Philadelphia. “We shot all our exteriors in New York,” explains Yakin. “We wanted to shoot everything in New York, but it’s difficult. The streets are hard to control and the people are a little jaded with film crews working here.

But the Mayor and the city of Philadelphia went out of their way to accommodate us. They would let us shut down streets. They were always asking us what they could do to help as opposed to making us feel we were a burden. Shooting there turned out to be great and I’m grateful for the help they gave us.”

One of the largest sets was the Triad’s casino, which was built inside of Girard College. “We used one of the buildings and some of the existing structure that was there, and basically built a stage set inside that,” says Nemec. “It’s an illegal underground gambling establishment that kind of looks like a speakeasy. Back in the days of Prohibition, they’d have hidden clubs that you would come in through a very non-descript entrance, but once inside it was a nice place.”

Statham particularly enjoyed working in New York, which is Yakin’s hometown. “We had such a good time working there,” says the actor. “It’s Boaz’s city and he knows it so well.

One of the best experiences you can have as an actor is to work with a writer/director. There’s no substitute for that because they’re constantly enhancing the script, taking out what doesn’t work. It’s just honed and honed hour by hour and you only get that collaboration with a guy who’s in control of his own material.”

Academy Award-winning costume designer Ann Roth impressed Yakin with her strong, character-driven designs. “Ann was a revelation,” says the director. “I’ve worked with some really good costume designers in the past. But when Ann costumes someone, that costume contributes to the character’s inner-life. I’ve never quite seen someone do it the way she does it. An actor that would do good work in rehearsal would come in wearing her costume and suddenly it was – bang – that’s the character. I was just knocked out by her work.”

When production was completed, Bender and Yakin approached Frederic Thoraval to edit the film. “Frederic edited ‘Taken’,” says Yakin. “I saw it and what really impressed me was the editing. Frederic has a way with editing not just action, but pace and a combination of real French New Wave looseness, jump-cutting and all that, with an eye on keeping the emotional focus on what’s going on that I just love. I would work with Frederic again in a heartbeat.”

The director was equally thrilled to have the prolific Mark Mothersbaugh on board to compose the score. “I would never have thought of Mark for this film,” admits Yakin. “He’s known for his charm, lightness and humor. He’s done all of Wes Anderson’s movies.”

But Mothersbaugh was eager to try his hand at a different film genre and even offered to compose a temp score to prove he was the man for the job. “Boaz gave me a script and I looked at some scenes. We talked a little conceptually about it and I went and did some sketches for it – music sketches that I recorded in my studio on electronic instruments, samplers, guitars, things like that.”

Yakin and Bender were immediately convinced upon hearing Mothersbaugh’s work. “The music was just really exciting,” says Yakin. “Mark really proved that he had the range.” Mothersbaugh created a final score that mixed orchestral sounds “reminiscent of ‘70s chase movies” with contemporary elements.

“I’ve worked with a lot of directors and I found Boaz to be really refreshing,” Mothersbaugh says. “It’s nice when you find a director who knows what he wants to hear.  He was always very enthusiastic and he brought a lot to the project. He’s someone I hope I get to work with again.”

Now that the movie is set to be released on April 27, writer/director Boaz Yakin hopes the final film will readily satisfy action fans while also offering audiences a central character they can relate to deeply. “Luke’s journey is an extreme one, but it’s one that I think people will recognize and understand and hopefully invest in,” says the director.

“When you have that kind of connection with the central character, then the stakes are higher, the action hits harder. If I manage to make that happen, I’m happy.”

Image Courtesy of    http://www.safethefilm.com

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Here is the plot: A second-rate cage fighter on the mixed martial arts circuit, Luke Wright lives a numbing life of routine beatings and chump change…until the day he blows a rigged fight.

Wanting to make an example of him, the Russian Mafia murders his family and banishes him from his life forever, leaving Luke to wander the streets of New York destitute, haunted by guilt, and tormented by the knowledge that he will always be watched, and anyone he develops a relationship with will also be killed.

But when he witnesses a frightened twelve-year-old Chinese girl, Mei, being pursued by the same gangsters who killed his wife, Luke impulsively jumps to action…and straight into the heart of a deadly high-stakes war. Mei, he discovers, is no ordinary girl, but an orphaned math prodigy forced to work for the Triads as a “counter.” He discovers she holds in her memory a priceless numerical code that the Triads, the Russian mob and a corrupt faction of the NYPD will kill for.

Realizing he’s the only person Mei can trust, Luke tears a swath through the city’s brutal underworld to save an innocent girl’s life…and perhaps even redeem his own.

On the run from the Triads and the Russian mob, modern legend Jason Statham’s character Luke reaches out to his old boss and nemesis, NYPD Police Captain Wolf, played by Robert John Burke. Wolf, however, has his own interests in mind. “Captain Wolf is Captain Nefarious, really,” chuckles Burke. “Wolf doesn’t feel he’s gotten his due. His City Police check isn’t cutting it any longer so he’s going do whatever it takes to supplement it. He cleverly plays one side against the other until Luke gets the last word.”

Burke raves about his experience working with Statham. “He’s a consummate professional – smart, funny, sharp, creative, hard-working, and does not settle for mediocrity. He is gifted and extremely generous. He brings more energy to a scene than any ten actors put together.”

Another gem in the supporting cast is veteran stage and film actor Chris Sarandon as corrupt Mayor Tramello, who holds the classified information for which the Triads are willing to pay $30 million in cash. “Chris has done so much great work in his career,” says writer and director Boaz Yakin. “This film’s inspirations are definitely ‘The Seven-Ups’ and ‘The French Connection’, and Chris did some great work in a few of those movies. So I liked bringing his energy to the film.”

With the cast in place, the filmmakers began to tackle all of the logistical challenges that Yakin’s action-packed script posed to the production. Recalls Lawrence Bender, producer, “As we started to work together, it became clear that Boaz had some really original ideas about the action. His storyboards were amazing.”

In an effort to give the film a unique feel, Yakin chose to film most of the choreographed action in long takes rather than resorting to edits to create action effects. Recalls Statham, “It’s a very difficult thing to do because there are so many elements that can go wrong. But Boaz had the tenacity to get it right and it was just brilliant. Some of the sequences that we did were quite lengthy.”

Yakin relied heavily on the expertise of stunt coordinators Chad Stahelksi, Brad Martin and J.J. “Loco” Perry from the company, 8711 Action Design. Says Yakin, “They came up with new and different ways of doing things that really worked and were unexpected. They would go off and shoot test scenes and pre-visualizations and take our ideas and bring them to another level. The collaboration was fantastic. The action is really good. I don’t think there’s anyone better at it than they are.”

Statham, who is certainly no stranger to action filmmaking, agrees. “Chad, J.J. and Brad all come with such amazing experience. They know what they’re doing and have spent years going through every type of martial art, every aspect of choreography, all the dangerous stunts. They live and breathe what they do. Working alongside them was very inspiring.”

‘Safe’ is available in theaters on April 27.

Image Courtesy of   SAFE

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Early in his career, Boaz Yakin made a name for himself as an action writer – he wrote the screenplays for ‘The Punisher’ (1989) and Clint Eastwood’s ‘The Rookie’ – but he’d never directed an action movie himself. After making the sobering, emotionally exhausting drama ‘Death In Love ‘in 2008, Yakin was ready to try his hand at a genre piece.

“I wanted to make something that had a broader appeal, so I thought, ‘Let me see if I can write one of these scripts the way I used to write when I was starting out.’ As the story developed, I started to identify with the main character quite a bit, the process of pulling himself out of a dark place, putting one foot in front of the other and finding a reason to live and connect to life again.”

For Yakin, the upcoming action thriller ‘Safe’s vivid central relationship between Luke and Mei is the driving force of the film. “The idea of directing an action film was interesting, but unless there’s a strong emotional motivation for the action, it can be a lot like directing traffic,” admits the director. “I wanted every action scene in this film to come from an emotional need in the character.”

When he had finished writing the script, Yakin approached his friend and colleague, Lawrence Bender, with whom Yakin had made his debut feature, ‘Fresh’, and the Renee Zellweger-starring ‘A Price Above Rubies’. While he and Yakin hadn’t worked together in over ten years, Bender was eager to find something to rekindle their partnership.

“Boaz has a great style as a writer and he’s a wonderful director,” says Bender. “So when he told me he wanted to make an action film that had an intense emotional through line, I couldn’t wait to read the script.” Bender, who has also produced some of the most original and successful action films in history, including ‘Pulp Fiction’, ‘Reservoir Dogs’, ‘From Dusk Till Dawn’, ‘Kill Bill: Vols. 1’ and 2 and ‘Inglourious Basterds’, immediately took on the project and approached Statham with an offer.

Finding the right 10-year-old actress to play Mei was the task of casting director Douglas Aibel, who worked with Yakin on ‘Fresh’ and already demonstrated his extraordinary gift for casting children in films such as ‘Signs’, ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ and ‘The Squid and the Whale’.

Catherine Chan walked in on the first day of auditions and made a lasting impression on the filmmakers. “We auditioned many, many girls,” recalls Bender. “Catherine had the right amount of vulnerability but the right amount of fire, too. Her character moves from innocent to depressed to ‘Let’s do this!’ and that’s a lot of personality for a twelve-year-old.”

“It was exciting; because it was my first time auditioning for a real movie,” remembers Chan, who is appearing in her debut feature film. “I was a little nervous, but I gave it my best shot. I was so happy when I got the part.”

“One of the charming aspects of working with Catherine is she’s only twelve, so she doesn’t have the baggage, all the layers of falseness that you can build as you spend years being an actor,” says Statham. “She has such purity. She’s not self-conscious in any way so she brings something really fresh.  It was a pleasure to be around.”

Yakin agrees. “She doesn’t feel like an ‘actor;’ she feels like a real kid. She’s very powerful in her stillness. For me that’s one of the most important things: to find kids who can act when they’re not acting. Listening is the hardest thing you can do as an actor.”

Veteran actor James Hong plays Han Jiao, the Triad boss who uses Mei as the guardian of his most valuable assets. “I was extremely glad that Boaz chose me to do this role,” says Hong. “It was a challenge, as Mandarin is not my first language. But upon seeing footage of the film, I was very happy with my performance. Han Jiao comes across as a mean Triad boss, but with a very business-like sense of humor.”

“It was important for the film that you feel an almost mythical presence to the part of Han Jiao,” says Yakin. “I needed someone who felt a little bit bigger than life, and James really brought that.”

Quan Chang, Mei’s guardian, is a slick Triad gangster – played by Reggie Lee – who adopts Mei to make her legal in the US. Lee explains, “After a year of fostering her in the US, my character begins to develop a fatherly instinct for her. At the same time, I still have to fulfill my job, which involves using her in very dangerous situations to get what Han Jiao wants.

I’ve done action films before, but never one with a character that had as much depth and nuance as Chang. Credit goes to Boaz Yakin for making the characters in this action film have so many colors and emotional challenges.”

“Reggie is a very talented actor,” reports Yakin. “He would walk on the set and start doing his scene and everyone would just stop what they were doing to watch him.”

Image Courtesy of  SAFE

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Action star Jason Statham has built a legion of enthusiastic fans for his charismatic portrayals of hard-boiled men in favorites like ‘The Transporter’ series, ‘The Italian Job’ and ‘The Expendables’. But audiences will experience a new depth of his talent in writer/director Boaz Yakin’s new action-thriller, ‘Safe’.

Statham brings a gritty, haunted intensity to Luke Wright, a former NYPD cop cum second-rate cage fighter whose wife has been murdered and his life destroyed by the Russian mob. With nothing to live for, Luke finds himself on a subway platform, staring at an oncoming train and contemplating suicide, a moment of hollow-eyed despair that Statham inhabits fully.

“Luke is probably in the lowest position he could ever be in his life,” explains Statham. “He’s about to commit suicide. He’s ready to throw in the towel and there’s nothing worth living for. That’s how we first meet him.”

But before Luke can end his misery, a chance encounter changes the course of his life and sends him down a path of brutal violence…and possibly redemption.

His unlikely savior is a ten-year-old Chinese math prodigy named Mei. Kidnapped by Triad boss Han Jiao for her flawless numerical memory, Mei has been brought to America and forced to act as the organization’s “human ledger,” thereby eliminating the need for incriminating financial records of any kind. But the information Mei holds in her memory is also coveted by the Russian mob, and a botched abduction attempt sends her on the run…and right into Luke’s path.

“Mei actually saves me,” says Statham. “I won’t explain how or we’d give too much away, but she’s being chased by the Russian mafia, the same guys who are responsible for murdering my wife.”

‘Safe’s writer/director sees the film as a relative rarity among action movies: an all-out genre piece that is powered by a full-blooded emotional core. “This is a film about a guy who has lost everything in his life,” says Yakin, “and through this chance encounter, he finds a reason to live again. This little girl is in need and this broken character finds a way to help her.”

From the project’s inception, Yakin and his producer, Lawrence Bender, agreed Statham was the actor who could embody Luke’s gritty physicality and also capture the depth of his grief. “I’ve always been so impressed with how dynamic Jason is, what a big presence he has on screen,” says Bender. “He has this unwavering authenticity to his characters.”

“This is a film where Jason is in his wheel house,” adds Yakin. “He plays a tough guy, and with the stunts and the action he’s meticulous to a crazy degree. But this is a much more vulnerable character than he usually plays. He really went for it and I think that’s going to surprise people.”

“Jason’s very focused, very concentrated in what he’s doing,” adds Bender. “At this moment in the story, Luke is completely empty inside, just blank, a black hole. His pain is so severe that he can’t even allow himself to feel it. Jason portrays that void brilliantly.”

Image Courtesy of  SAFE

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The new 12-part action series based on Luc Besson’s successful film franchise, starring Chris Vance, began filming in Toronto in August and has already seen a lot of action on set. Vance will take over the TV version of the expert driver Frank Martin from Jason Statham and the big screen originals’ co-writer, Luc Besson, is executive producer.

Shooting through this November, the series will debut on Cinemax in 2012. The series’ executive producers also included Fred Fuchs, Robert Cooper, Joseph Mallozzi & Paul Mullie and Alexander Ruemelin; but weeks into shooting, Mallozzi and Mullie cited “creative differences” and left the production.

According to HollywoodReporter.com, British director Steve Shill (Dexter, Desperate Housewives) and veteran supervising producer Karen Wookey has since joined. The Transporter series is a France-Canada international treaty co-production produced by Atlantique Productions and QVF Inc. in association with broadcast partners HBO/Cinemax as well as The Movie Network and Movie Central (Canada), M6 (France) and RTL (Germany).

The ambitious production is the latest in a wave of high-end drama series with money and set locations coming from outside the US. The aim is to captivate both American and European audiences, something that other successful series such as Breaking Bad and Mad Men has struggled to do. American primetime shows seem to translate poorly to the major European markets.

According to a previous HBO press release, this fast-paced series follows the adventures of professional transporter Frank Martin, who can always be counted on to get the job done — discreetly. Operating in a seedy underworld of dangerous criminals and desperate players, his three rules are: Never change the deal, no names, and never open the package. Occasionally, complications arise and rules get broken.

Andrea Osvart (Duplicity) co-stars as Martin’s trusted handler Carla and Francois Berléand reprises his role of Inspector Tarconi from the films. The cast also includes Delphine Chanéac (Splice) in the recurring role of Juliette, a reporter who seems to know a lot about Frank’s work, and Rachel Skarsten (Made…The Movie, Birds of Prey) as Delia, the daughter of someone from Frank’s past.

Last week, Deadline.com could report that there had been a temporary suspension in the series as the title role holder Chris Vance suffered an injury during an action sequence. The delay is expected to last two weeks. “We want to ensure Chris’ return to peak physical condition before putting him back in front of the camera to continue shooting this fast-paced, action-packed series,” said Shill.

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One of the most exciting films to be released in 2011 is a movie about a group of assassins known as the clinic. The clinic is a hit squad that has carried out a series of assassination on members of the British Air services. Sir Ralph Fiennes made these controversial claims in his 1991 novel The Feather Men. He claimed that a hit squad existed and a contract was placed on the heads of the members of B.A.S.

The government denied these allegations. The “Feather Men,” of the novel’s title is a group of vigilante Special Forces members who are hired to stop the clinic and to protect members of the regiment. The movie cost $66 million to produce and its set for release in September 2011. The movie is set to look like a huge success.

Film producer Michael Boughen who worked on various game shows during the nineties and the movie Tomorrow when the world began has been facing a battle fighting tax evasion charges so its not certain whether or not he will attend the films premier. Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert de Niro appear in this action packed movie titled Killer Elite, which is based on the true events that took place as depicted in Fiennes’ novel.

The movie is an adaption of the novel and it follows special operation agent Danny, who is played by Jason Statham. Danny is lured out of a self imposed exile to execute a feat of retribution and personal salvation. His former mentor played by Robert De Niro is in trouble. Danny reassembles his old team of operatives to help rescue his former mentor and to infiltrate the British Special  Forces.

The Feather Men are a group of ex Special Air Service soldiers, their leader Spike, played by Clive Owen, provides a deadly cloak of security around all the SAS members. Danny and his team of soldiers  must take down a a group of the most deadliest soldier assassins before their actions result in a global political meltdown.

A large portion of the movie was produced  in Port Melbourne. While other parts of the movie were  filmed in Paris, Wales, London, Dubai and Oman. The movie was produced at Dockland studios in Melbourne, in the Docklands. Jason Statham’s scenes were shot at the Brecon Beacons in Wales.

In May 2010 it was announced that Robert De Niro would join the cast playing an assassin in a minor role. De Niro’s  shoot took place in november 2010 and  went for 10 days, shooting in Melbourne’s spring street, which was used  a front for Paris in the 1970s.

A majority of the the other actors in the cast will be played by Australian actors, such as well known Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn who will appear in a supporting role. Mendelsohn has been recently working on other Hollywood projects including this place beyond and Joel Schumacher’s the Nicholas Cage, Nicole Kidman thriller Trespass.

Although the film is set for a September release date. It has not been announced when and where the premier will be taking place.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.facebook.com/KillerEliteMovie

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