Action-Driven Leadership: Insights from Director James Madigan on What Propels Our Websites
Take a Wild Ride on the "Plane Bonkers" Airliner Terror Flick, Fight or Flight
Sit back, buckle up, and prepare for a chaotic adventure that'll have you questioning the safety of commercial flights. In the riveting action-thriller Fight or Flight, Josh Hartnett dons the role of Joshua "Josh" Reyes, a disgraced former secret agent, packing more than just lurid memories in his carry-on. With a vintage tone that critics have coined as airborne absurdity, Josh finds himself in the middle of an assassination plot aboard a passenger jet, turning ordinary seats into battlefields.
As an ex-government operative desperately trying to protect a hacker from hitmen on the prowl, he pulls out all the stops – wielding anything he can lay his hands on, whether it's a shattered wineglass to an enemy's eye or an impromptu chainsaw confrontation. But the idea behind the hand-to-hand combat wasn't always scripted. Director James Madigan shares, "An action scene will not save a lack of character development. It's like a coat of paint on a car. You've gotta have a good car first."
Madigan, a veteran in the action genre, having worked on blockbusters such as Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, The Meg, and See, steps into the director's chair for this intense aerial mayhem, offering a tantalizing sneak peek into the film's gory scenarios without major spoilers. He also sheds light on what makes a successful action script take flight.
"There's More to the Guy than Meets the Eye"
The plot of Fight or Flight strikes a chord that recalls 2021's Nobody and this year's Novocaine, both featuring unlikely heroes with hidden talents and special circumstances. In this film, Josh portrays Lucas Reyes, a one-time Secret Service agent who's been living a reclusive life in Bangkok. He receives an unexpected phone call from his FBI ex-lover, Katherine Brunt, offering a chance for redemption.
"I have a soft spot for underdog stories," Madigan said. "This is about a guy who's lost everything and is trying to find his way back. There's something universal about that."
Lucas' mission is simple – track down a suspected online terrorist dubbed the Ghost and escort her safely into custody on a flight bound for San Francisco. However, various passengers harbor hidden intentions and aim to collect the bounty on the Ghost, making Lucas' job anything but routine.
At first, Lucas stumbles, his skills dulled from being out of the game. However, circumstance conspires to have him defend himself. "Even without his faculties, he just gets lucky," Madigan explained.
As the journey unfolds, viewers observe Lucas not only hunting for the Ghost but also unraveling the secrets concealed in his assignment. "He's given a chance to get it all back, and then he finds out that to do that, he's got to sell his soul."
A Fight Sequence as Musical Score
Lucas is gifted some assistance from flight attendants played by Danny Ashok, Hughie O'Donnell, and Charithra Chandran, who relished their on-screen brawls with various assailants. The film's core team ensured the action varied in spite of the confined aircraft setting.
"The priority was to make sure that we vary this within the confines of what we have," Madigan explained. "Our setting was a guy doing fisticuffs in the same environment more or less over and over, so our goal was to diversify what's happening."
From the pre-boarding to the no-holds-barred close, cinematographer Matt Flannery and production designer Mailara Santana collaborated to produce unique lighting and settings throughout the passenger cabin, galley, cockpit, and cargo area. It was crucial to avoid repetition and ensure each scene offered a fresh visual experience.
"We talked about how to get weapons on board, and I was like, I'm not doing that," Madigan said. "It's not about irresponsibility, but treading a fine line between reality and absurdity."
Action Scenes as Storytelling Beats
Although Fight or Flight delivers ample action, the plot serves as the driving force for the narrative, with the characters staying true to who they are. Madigan advises, "An action scene or a fight sequence should serve the same purpose as a song in a musical would serve – a way to get across a plot point, character development, or whatever it may be in a much more exciting way than just sitting around and talking about it."
The script often leaves room for adaptation during pre-production, with factors like locations, casting, and realistic implementation of action sequences influencing the final product. "Sometimes those things can stay exactly as written, but almost always, the realities of the production and your set will take over," Madigan adds.
So whether you're an admirer of intricate side-swipes or adrenaline-pumping roundhouse kicks, embrace the wild ride that Fight or Flight offers, all set against the backdrop of an action-packed journey at 40,000 feet. Just remember, the story is what truly takes flight, which is why it's essential to keep the character development intact amidst the chaos.
- The riveting action-thriller Fight or Flight, directed by James Madigan, promises a chaotic adventure that'll have viewers questioning the safety of commercial flights.
- Josh Hartnett portrays the character of Joshua "Josh" Reyes, a disgraced former secret agent, navigating an assassination plot aboard a passenger jet in the film.3.Madigan, a veteran in the action genre, steps into the director's chair for this intense aerial mayhem, offering a tantalizing sneak peek into the film's gory scenarios without major spoilers.
- Fight or Flight's plot draws comparisons to 2021's Nobody and this year's Novocaine, featuring an unlikely hero with hidden talents and special circumstances.
- With the objective of avoiding repetition, cinematographer Matt Flannery and production designer Mailara Santana collaborated to produce unique lighting and settings throughout the aircraft, ensuring each scene offered a fresh visual experience.
- In the film, Josh Hartnett's character, Lucas Reyes, unravels secrets concealed in his assignment, finding out that to redeem himself, he's got to sell his soul.
- Danny Ashok, Hughie O'Donnell, and Charithra Chandran, who play flight attendants in the movie, relished their on-screen brawls with various assailants, offering a diverse range of action scenes within the confined aircraft setting.
- Fight or Flight delivers ample action, but the plot remains the driving force for the narrative with characters staying true to who they are, as Madigan emphasizes that action scenes should serve as storytelling beats, presenting plot points and character development in an exciting way.
