Having already had the opportunity to speak with John Wick directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch about the style and technique behind capturing their action sequences, I kept the questions for stars Keanu Reeves and Adrianne Palicki focused on action filmmaking as well. I was glad to get a chance to discuss women in action cinema with Ms. Palicki, and was thrilled to get a chance to hear some of Keanu’s thoughts about his career strategy and where he is heading now after the one-two punches of Man Of Tai Chi and now John Wick.
You can read my full review of John Wick here, in which I praise the film for its incredible action set pieces, from the staging, to the cinematography, to the choreography. Even in a universe where The Raid 2 exists and filmmakers like Gareth Evans are showing everyone how action is done, John Wick not only holds up but reminds us that American action cinema still has blood in its veins.
Enjoy my brief chats with the stars of John Wick, which are pulled from a larger, roundtable-style discussion.
Ed Travis:
First of all, welcome back to Austin.
Adrianne Palicki:
Thanks so much, this is my favorite city in the world.
ET: I’m going to quote you on that one. [Laughter].
You’ve become an action star in your career, and I wanted to ask if that was something you intentionally built or how you got to this place where you are recognizable as an action star, among other things.
AP: It is funny, it just started to happen. I think it started with Red Dawn and from there was a tumbling effect. I have to say if you are going to be typecast it isn’t the worst place to be typecast in. I love doing the stunts and being in the moment. I try to, in between, do comedies so I don’t totally get pigeonholed, but I do love it.
ET: Great, then can you talk about your experience as a female action star? I know a lot of people (and Hollywood) are very excited right now about female action stars. Hollywood is picking up on the idea that women can kick ass and be the star of films with broad box office appeal. Do you have any thoughts on that?
AP: I’m loving that that is happening more and more. I think the world is ready for women to lead movies like this. I mean… Salt? I loved watching Angelina Jolie do that. I mean… she’s the most beautiful woman in the world. Or Scarlett Johansson having a bigger role in Captain America. But I do hope that it’ll transition a little bit with guys being the co-stars sometimes.
ET: I spoke with the directors about how they were capturing the action in long, fluid shots and I was curious what your experience was in front of the camera, performing for that kind of style?
AP: I agree with you in that I love watching the action scenes all happen at once. I mean, obviously there are times when it isn’t me. As much as I’d love to be thrown through a plate glass window, they won’t let me do it. But that style keeps up a momentum, especially when you are doing something like Judo, which has a lot of rules and is all about body movement. Having them set a camera there and let us go ended up being easier, actually, because you are in the moment. With the quick cuts you end up sitting around more and having to motivate yourself, but this style kept the energy up around set.
ET: So you are saying a fluid action style feels almost easier to you from your end of the camera, but I imagine filmmakers would say this style is harder to capture!
AP: Well, it is kind of harder on your body. You get exhausted. But it is that kind of exhaustion where you say: Let’s just keep going. Let’s keep doing this. If I sit down I won’t get back up, so let’s keep going. But there’s not as much mental exhaustion.
Ed Travis:
Welcome back to Fantastic Fest!
Keanu Reeves:
Thank you.
ET: Last year you brought Man Of Tai Chi, which had you working with Tiger Chen as your star. This year Chad and David are directing you in John Wick. Can you talk a little bit about your strategy in your career right now, where you are working with people that you had worked with previously and how you are collaborating with some of the action talent from your past? The strategy is working, by the way.
KR: That is kind. Thank you. If you want to connect Man of Tai Chi and John Wick, Man of Tai Chi started many years ago. I never really have strategized the future, as in: Okay, I’ll do a Chinese movie, then I’ll do a Western version of a Chinese movie, where I do a pendulum swing from tai chi to old testament revenge which is HIDING the idea of compassion and philosophy… [laughter]. BUT, in hindsight, that is what happened. Both of those films are to my taste.
Regarding working with people from my past, like with David and Chad, I had seen them coming up as filmmakers and I brought this material to them, first just for action, but I was hoping they would say: “Hey, can we direct this?” And they did! Mua hah hah! [Faux evil laugh, laughter]. So, that part was a strategy. Then they went to the producer, Basil, they pitched their vision, and they got the gig. And we’re all really excited because they’ve realized their vision very successfully.
But in terms of intention, after John Wick I had the opportunity to work with Eli Roth on a film called Knock Knock where I play a victim. I’m a victim of a home invasion. So that was interesting. And after that I got to work with Courtney Hunt on a film called The Whole Truth, playing a defense attorney who is dealing with justice… but it gets complicated. It is called “The Whole Truth”… but no one is telling the whole truth. So the past year did have some kind of artistic intention, but now I have no idea what is going to happen next. It was like an epoch. What to do now?
That was all the time I had with Mr. Reeves and Ms. Palicki, but I did enjoy hearing from them and hope you did as well.
And I’m Out.