Unlike the previous Jackie Chan movies, which have always pursued comedy effects and kung fu juggling, this time Jackie Chan's fights in "British Showdown" are mostly hard bridges, hard horses, punches to flesh, and there are no redundant and complicated routines. To solve the battle, this is also in line with Guan Yuming's former special forces settings, after all, there is no time to show gorgeous moves during the Vietnam War.
Complementing the straight-forward action scenes is the "old school" and "conservative" film production methods of "British Showdown". Director Martin Campbell, as an old director who has made movies for more than 40 years, insists that live-action shooting is not necessary. Special effects, explosions are really blasting, and falling is really rolling. In today's special effects CG flying all over the sky, it is even more valuable.
I have to talk about Martin Campbell here. When it comes to him, you can't get around 007. The helmsman of the two generations of 007 movies has twice saved the 007 series from crisis. Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig are both in His men became famous and went to the world. Interestingly, the first CG shot of the 007 series of films was born in "Golden Eye" directed by him. The innovative introduction of special effects production into the classical 007 movies, and the insistence on live-action shooting in today's flood of special effects production, is doomed to Martin Campbell to be an unusual director.
In today's heavily industrialized film production mode, generally speaking, those who can use CG special effects will never be filmed; those that can be made with computers will never be performed by humans; this is understandable, after all, money and efficiency are what Hollywood producers do. The fundamental pursuit of the factory. Of course, it doesn't mean that this model is necessarily bad. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" just released in the mainland is an excellent representative of this type of film, which also represents a development direction of the film. However, if it is all special effects blockbusters and superheroes, even if the movie has a good reputation, it will be aesthetically fatigued. Everyone is now popular to say "craftsman spirit", which is the most needed quality in today's society. There are also a small number of film directors who have such a "craftsman spirit". For example, Nolan, the director of "Dunkirk", who was hotly discussed some time ago, is a representative who refuses to use CGI and insists on real shooting. The story of aerial combat and retreat on the set of "Dunkirk" was also talked about by public opinion and fans.
But when it comes to live-action shooting, Nolan has to call Martin Campbell a "senior". As early as 1995's "GoldenEye", the climax of the tank chase scene was shot on location. Martin Campbell's crew borrowed three real T-55 main battle tanks from the East England Military Museum for shooting. This scene alone The tank chase scene took a month to shoot.
Martin Campbell has always insisted on live-action shooting, which is also his personal style. He once expressed his attitude towards special effects, "Special effects cannot replace people, let alone emotions." To this extent, it is very different from the effect of live shooting.” The view has the same purpose.
"Current 007" Daniel Craig once revealed in an interview that when Martin Campbell directed "Casino Royale", CGI effects were almost never used in the entire film, and the only place where CGI was used was Use technology to erase the traces of Weiya on the actors when shooting high-risk action scenes.
In the behind-the-scenes production special of "British Showdown", we can see the scene in which Jackie Chan was impacted and flew out in the explosion scene. In the countdown, the two blasting points were blasted at the same time. Jackie Chan was shocked by the impact caused by the explosion and flew out and fell on the car. The glass slag that splashed around also splashed Jackie Chan's face.
There is not only one explosion scene like this in "British Showdown", it can be said that it is a small explosion in five minutes and a big explosion in ten minutes. . In addition to setting traps and ambush, Jackie Chan also has to fight fiercely with the enemy, and the director is Martin Campbell, who has directed two 007 movies. Hero James Bond. Martin Campbell obviously brought some of his 007 film experience to "British Showdown", and transplanted some of James Bond's characteristics and personality to Guan Yuming: brave and resourceful, perseverance, combat experience, skill Superb, even if he suffers an innocent injustice, he silently bears it and must find the real culprit...
Obviously, Martin Campbell's creative idea has been successful. Jackie Chan seems to be Guan Yuming who has entered his twilight years but is forced to retaliate. Guan Yuming is Jackie Chan, and the two have been completely integrated. Jackie Chan's own comedic temperament has been completely abandoned, replaced by Jackie Chan as a real actor. The excellent performance in the film also made Guan Yuming a representative role of Jackie Chan in recent years.
Perhaps, "British Showdown" will open another legendary chapter in Jackie Chan's actor journey, and there are more challenges waiting for him to complete in the future.
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