Dazzler Media
As one of the greatest action heroes to emerge from the modern age of cinema, Scott Adkins is always a delight to behold on screen. His latest film, Avengement, is a fantastic demonstration of all the traits that make him unique in an increasingly overpopulated industry. In recent years Hollywood has transformed into a playground for computer generated characters, and faceless protagonists. Indeed, the days of admiring action stars who were completely capable of kicking ass in real life are quickly disappearing.
Thankfully, this is a good old-fashioned martial arts movie, with the added twist of being a dark, gritty, British crime thriller. Containing some fantastic performances, a break-kneck pace, and bone-crunchingly violent fight sequences, Avengement is unique, experimental, action cinema at its finest. THN was fortunate enough to speak to Scott and writer Stu Small, as well as the films stunt team, at the world premiere held in London last month. Check out our interviews below for some great anecdotes, interesting Hollywood commentaries, exclusive reveals, and extremely English humour:
Credit: Nikolay Petrov
THN: ‘Avengement’ has been received extremely well by critics and audiences. The film currently sits at 86% on Rotten Tomatoes. How do you feel about the films success?
SCOTT ADKINS: Well, you never really know how a film is going to be received. I know I liked it, but it’s very English and very different. A lot of it is just people sat around talking, and I wasn’t sure how the general public would take it. But, to be honest it’s exceeded my expectations. We hope that UK audiences respond as well as the US have, because there aren’t many British action films out there.
STU SMALL: We’re very very proud of it. There are a tone of films of this genre, budget and content, but we like to think that this one has a little more to it.
At the heart of ‘Avengement’ it’s basically a dysfunctional family drama. It could have been written about Liam and Noel Gallagher [laughs] Cain has been thrown into a world he didn’t ask to be part of, and he’s dealing with the cards he’s been dealt. Its a story of how he’s chosen to overcome that, and it’s up to the audience to decide whether he’s made the right decision in that regard. Ultimately he’s on a quest to get his ‘Avengement’.
THN: Were there ever any alternative choices for the title of the film?
SCOTT: No, we were told it had to be ‘Avengement’. I’m not even sure if it’s a real word? [laughs]
STU: I was told it was, but maybe we should move on…[laughs]
THN: It’s fantastic to see Scott being able to flex his acting muscles a bit more.
SCOTT: It’s great to be given the opportunity to! Listen, it takes a very good actor to deliver bad dialogue! And let’s be honest, some of the lines I’ve had to deliver over the years have been pretty awful! [laughs].
STU: It was a huge mountain for Scott to climb. He essentially played two different characters in this film and he embodied both of them brilliantly.
He’s a sweet naive guy at the beginning asking his brother for help, before transforming into a big scary guy caving peoples heads in.
Related: Avengement DVD review
THN: After previously working together on the underappreciated gem that is ‘Accident Man’, how did it feel to reunite for this project?
STU: It’s an underappreciated gem just like Scott! [laughs]
It was great! Myself, Scott and [director] Jesse V. Johnson all worked on ‘Accident Man’, and I think we’ve carved out a niche where we work very well together. Between the three of us we were all able to craft the story as a group, and see that through right up until we filmed it.
The first film I worked with Scott on was ‘Accident Man’, but obviously he’d worked with Jesse before. So, they already had a good working relationship. But, were both welcoming towards me thankfully.
SCOTT: The thing about me and Stu is that we’re both completely in sync. We both like the same things and have a lot of the same interests. Then Jesse is the glue that holds us together and keeps things moving.
STU: The concept for ‘Avengement’ was originally Jesse’s idea, then we all worked together on the script to get it to a point where we felt comfortable filming it.
THN: Can you talk about the upcoming ‘Accident Man’ sequel, and when the project is expected to begin filming?
STU: We’re still developing it! We worked on the story together. But, we’re not quite finished with the script yet. We’re trying to get it to a place where we feel that it elevates the character, and justifies us revisiting that world.
SCOTT: The studio was very happy with the first one, so fingers crossed it all lines up.
STU: We love Mike Fallon. He’s our favourite character and there’s a lot of story to tell with him. In fact, I remember Scott showing me the original comic in school! He always wanted to be an actor and I remember him telling me he was going to make it into a film one day. So, the fact that after 20 years we managed to make it is pretty amazing.
SCOTT: Let’s just hope it doesn’t take another 20 years to make ‘Accident Man 2’ [laughs]
STU: We were very, very proud after finally finishing the first film. It was a beautiful thing to see our careers come full circle like that. We probably spent around 10 years working on the script.
SCOTT: It didn’t take us that long because we were shit by the way! [laughs] It was because we didn’t have a time limit, so we just took as long as wanted.
Naughtily, we were actually writing the script before I managed to secure the rights from [original writers] Pat Mills and Tony Skinner. But, luckily I contacted them at the right time as another studio had previously held the rights and let the contract expire. I was actually congratulated by a very big Hollywood producer on getting ‘Accident Man’ made.
STU: I was never really a big ‘comic book guy’. But, I appreciate the grandeur of that whole medium, and how much everyone adores it. I greatly admire how viciously loyal those guys are to the content and source material. So, to receive messages from Pat and Tony telling us how much they enjoyed the film was a big moment for me. It’s the biggest compliment we could have received.
THN: Have there been many ‘accidents’ on set in either film you’ve worked on together?
SCOTT: I mean, normally I end up getting punched in the face [laughs]
STU: Scott does some big stunts. In ‘Accident Man’ he does 90% of the stunt work you see on screen. There was a great scene where he kicks a guy off a motorbike, and I don’t think it looks as impressive on screen as it actually was. In fact, I think he broke the Bike!
SCOTT: It was 5am on a cold day in East London and I had to jump over the handlebars and kick him in the chest.
STU: The stunt man, also called Stu, took it like an absolute champ. No disrespect to the film at all, but it doesn’t look as impressive on screen. I think people are so used to big, grand set pieces, that they don’t always appreciate the smaller stuff.
Credit: Nikolay Petrov
THN: Had you both followed each other’s work prior to your first collaboration?
SCOTT: Well, we’ve known each other since we were 16 so I hope he was paying attention to my work! [laughs]
STU: I mean, I avoided many of his films [laughs]
SCOTT: Fuck you Stu!
STU: No, I’m only joking. I’ve seen a lot of his stuff, even Eastenders. I originally worked in television for the BBC, and Scott worked on films from a very early age. It just took us twenty years to finally work together.
SCOTT: I think that’s why I feel so comfortable delivering Stu’s dialogue, because we’ve been friends so long that we know what works for one another. We have the same sense of humour too, which helps.
STU: I always say that there’s nothing worse than a tough guy acting tough. It’s so annoying and it’s been done a million times before. We all know tough guys, and none of the ones I’ve ever met have walked into a bar looking like they want to take everyone on. They have a laugh and a joke, then they kick ass.
SCOTT: All of Stu’s movies have such a personality to them, which all comes from his incredible writing. It’s that cheeky dialogue and great sense of humour that makes it come to life. It’s different to have an action hero that talks a lot, and I think that’s what people are responding to.
STU: I think there are some people out there who are embracing that, like Dwayne Johnson. He’s basically the perfect example. I’ll never forget that cameo from Arnie in ‘The Rundown’ where he gives him that nod and essentially passes the torch. That was almost the moment where action cinema started to move in a different direction.
THN: Scott, did you receive any ‘torch passing’ moments from anyone on the set of ‘Expendables 2’?
SCOTT: Well, you have to be invited to that very special club. If you’re in ‘The Expendables’ that mean’s you’re a recognisable action guy. It’s a badge of honour and I was very proud to be part of the franchise.
THN: Do you think that in Hollywood there is a stigma around stunt men that makes it harder for them to transition into recognised actors?
SCOTT: Oh yeah absolutely. I was offered a lot of stunt work in the early days. That was why I made sure I received a credit for doing ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’. I was credited as Weapon Xl, because I didn’t want to be seen as just a stunt man.
I have massive respect for stunt men, and we do need that Oscar. But in general, casting producers will frown on you if they see a load of stunt work. They dismiss you as someone who isn’t a real actor. It shouldn’t be that way, but that’s unfortunately the way it is. You have to try and distance yourself from that.
A wise man, named Chad Stahelski [director of the ‘John Wick’ franchise], once said to me ‘Scott, you’ve done ‘Ninja’, ‘Ninja: Shadow of a tear’, and the ‘Boyka’ films. Do you really think they don’t already consider you a stunt man?’ He did have a point [laughs]
But, I do try to distance myself. I didn’t want to just turn up, not speak, and get punched in the face.
Credit: Nikolay Petrov
THN: Do you think it’s possible that you will make an appearance in a future entry of the ‘John Wick’ franchise?
SCOTT: Chad knows I want to be involved! But at the end of the day, there needs to be a part he thinks I’m right for.
STU: They’re amazing films. You don’t see many non-comic book films playing on two screens, that are sold out on the opening night. It’s fantastic considering they’re low-budget films, about a guy who doesn’t talk much, and knows a lot of martial arts.
SCOTT: We were actually a little bit worried about the similarities between ‘John Wick’ and ‘Accident Man’ when it first came out. But, we were writing the script for years. So, we got there first. I actually think that Mike Fallon could easily fit into the world of ‘John Wick’.
STU: Would you beat him in a fight?
SCOTT: I’d fuck him up! [laughs]
Dazzler Media
Check out our exclusive with the films stunt crew below:
THN: What was it that initially made you go into stunt work for the film industry? And was it always an ambition?
BEAU FOWLER: Well, I didn’t actually do an awful lot of action in ‘Avengement’, as my role was mostly dramatic. But, I have studied martial arts for over 30 years.
I knew I wanted to work in the film industry since I was about 6. But I never knew how I’d do it at that age. Then, I remember explaining camera angles to people and analysing scenes when I was about 9. That was the point where I realised I wanted to direct and act in Hollywood. I forged my path from there.
GREG BURRIDGE: I actually started off in photography, which initially brought me behind the camera. I always knew I had an artistic side, and I always loved martial arts movies too. So, one day I thought maybe I can merge the two together. I ended up moving from photography to pro wrestling, which is a very different industry [laughs]
LEE CHARLES: My career started as a Kickboxer, so I’ve always had that sort of fighting experience. Then I went to visit Benny the Jet’s gym in Los Angeles. He was a big hero of mine, so I was incredibly excited to take photos of everything. I actually ended up meeting him there, and he enrolled me in his school. I have him to thank for my entire career. To this day I still ask myself ‘wow, how did that happen?’ [laughs]
DAN STYLES: I actually never really had a plan. I started off acting in school as a teenager, and people kept suggesting that I try different things. After that I practiced stage combat, sword fighting, and martial arts. Before I knew it, I was taking my camera outside and choreographing my own sequences. From there, everything just fell into place. I sort of wish I had actually planned it now, as it might have ended up happening sooner than it did.
MARK STRANGE: I always came from a martial arts background to be honest. I used to compete all over the country when I was younger. Eventually I worked up to owning my own gym, but I always saw the bigger picture of the film industry. I just started making my own action movies, and so far I’ve produced 4. So, I basically got into film by creating my own content, which just snowballed from there.
THN: What was it like working on ‘Avengement’ and how did the films small budget affect the stunt work in the film?
DAN: As the fight coordinator, there was a lot of pressure. I’d worked with Scott before, but I hadn’t done any fights with him. So, I knew I had to impress him, I had to impress [the director] Jesse, and I had to impress the fans.
It was extremely intense. We had about 2 weeks to prepare and rehearse all the fights. Then we only had 3 weeks to shoot the entire movie! Some of the fights were done in only a few hours.
We spent the longest amount of time on the end fight in the bar, which took us about 2 and a half days. It was one of the toughest shoots I’ve ever done.
The rapport I had with Scott really helped. Also, a lot of the people around me had worked with Scott before as well. That helped take a little bit of the pressure off.
Dazzler Media
THN: Do you find that stunt work is often quite a dangerous profession in the industry?
MARK: Well, I did end up getting a cricket bat to the face in this film! [laughs]. Luckily, I managed to stay in character. It was hilarious.
It can be very dangerous. Obviously it’s all fiction and safety is a primary concern. But, all it takes is that one split second to lose concentration for something to go seriously wrong.
After you do anything repeatedly, over and over, there’s always going to be that tiny chance of something going wrong. You have to give it 110% because otherwise the audience wont believe in what they’re watching on screen. So, you have to make sure you’re precise with every movement and keep your timing on point.
THN: Mark, you also have a role opposite Scott in the upcoming ‘IP Man 4’. What can you tell me about that film, and how does it differ to ‘Avengement’?
MARK: It was such an incredible experience, and I immensely enjoyed working with Donnie Yen. It was also great to work with Scott again after ‘Avengement’. I think for this film they wanted to give Bruce Lee a bigger challenge. Which was very exciting.
But, I didn’t approach the film any differently. Like I said, you have to give it your all and when I step in front of the camera I transform. I change into some kind of madman like the Incredible Hulk [laughs]
GREG: I think that in this industry, even if you’ve never worked with one another, there’s a sense of community. We all know of each other somehow, and we all share the same experiences. So no matter what the film is, you instantly know what to expect and your nerves are settled.
LEE: We’re the greatest boy band that never was! [laughs]
THN: Lee, you fought Dave Bautista on screen in last years ‘Final Score’. What can you tell me about the (undoubtedly terrifying) experience?
LEE: I mean, I’m a pretty large guy now. But, at the time I was training for a world title and I was about 2 stone lighter as a result. I remember asking people beforehand ‘how big is Dave Bautista?’ and people would just pause and say ‘big’.
There was a scene where I was meant to put my arm around Dave, and lock it with my other arm. But, I couldn’t physically get my arm around him because he was so huge! [laughs]
It was an absolute pleasure working with him and I had a great time. I’m a big fan of wrestling, so he’s a hero of mine.
AVENGEMENT is available now on Blu ray, DVD and digital download.
