It's become something of a tradition that every January brings with it a brand new Jason Statham action vehicle – and the latest entry in that ever-expanding canon arrives in UK cinemas this weekend.
Shelter follows a fairly similar pattern to a lot of previous Statham flicks; he stars as a reclusive man with a mysterious, violent history who is called back into action when some shady figures from his past show up, teeing up all manner of stunts, car chases and brutal brawls.
This time around his character is one-time assassin Mason, who we find living in exile at a lighthouse somewhere in the Outer Hebrides.
But when a storm causes a dramatic boat accident that kills his fellow islander and former army pal, he finds himself caring for the friend's young daughter. And it doesn't take long after his first venture to the mainland for supplies before his whereabouts are located by his nefarious ex-employers, kicking off a high-octane action romp.
The film is directed by Ric Roman Waugh, who has previously helmed a number of films starring fellow action heroes such as Gerard Butler and Dwayne Johnson. But speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com ahead of release, Waugh said there were a few things that set Statham apart from his peers.
"I call him modern-day Steve McQueen," he explained, referencing the iconic star of The Great Escape and Bullitt, among many other classic movies.
"Because he’s authentic – there’s nothing fake about Jason. And what I love about him in this movie is you get your cake and eat it too. You’re seeing the big action star that we all know, but you’re also seeing this family man."
View Green Video on the source websiteHe continued: "You're also seeing this guy who lives his own life with a code and also lives his action in real life; he is a martial artist... he is a fighter... he is a man that keeps himself fit everyday.
"So we live vicariously through his characters of bringing that code, bringing that respect, bringing that sense of justice and morality and so when you have somebody who’s already authentic in their real life, it’s pretty easy to put them in a place where you’re getting a character that also has the same authenticity."
Waugh added that he'd love to collaborate on further projects with Statham, calling him the "real deal" and praising the way he came to set prepared – not just for the physicality of his scenes but also the emotional beats.
"It’s not just you can fight each other to death," he said of the big action scenes. "There’s a child in the room, you have to remember her shelter, her safety. And I love that he always kept that integrity of the performance, and I never had to remind him it’s not just the fight – he was always about performance first."
Given Statham has appeared in so many action flicks over the years, you might wonder how he selects which ones to actually say yes to these days. But the answer is relatively simple – he asks himself if he'd go and watch the film himself as a cinemagoer.
"Really we’re looking for something that has an emotional core to it," he says. "[Rather than] an action movie for the sake of action. I’ve done movies that… like Crank, silly films that don’t have this same kind of intense emotional drive.
"So I’m always looking for something that catches my instinct for… I kind of look for movies that I’d like to go and see myself. And this kind of film is something that I have a personal taste for."
Shelter is released in UK cinemas on Friday 30th September.
Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Hence then, the article about jason statham is the modern day steve mcqueen says shelter director was published today ( ) and is available on Radio Times ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Jason Statham is the modern-day Steve McQueen, says Shelter director )
Also on site :
- Primary school teacher banned after drinking can of beer in classroom and eating mints after every sip
- Greenland warns of ‘red lines’ in talks with US
- A New Lawsuit Is Taking Aim at Costco’s Beloved $4.99 Rotisserie Chicken