Transcript
Zach Sheets: Hello, and welcome to the Everything Actioncast podcast for the week of September 21st, 2026. I'm your host, Zach.
Chris Prime: I'm your co -host Chris.
Zach Sheets: And this week we're keeping an eye out for The Feathermen and talking about Killer Elite, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. It came out on September 23rd, 2011. One of...
Zach Sheets: Four Jason Statham movies that came out in 2011. We also had Blitz. the mechanic, and then he was also a voice in Gnomeo and Juliet. So it was say a packed year for Statham.
Chris Prime: It's like... Family -friendly Statham, too.
Zach Sheets: Mm hmm.
Zach Sheets: it's kind it's kind of wild that the the mechanic and this came out the same year because it's like basically He's basically the same character in the same movie, kind of. oh this clearly is kind of more like mechanic resurrection where like someone gets kidnapped and that's forcing him to like do these jobs to make and make them look like accidents
Chris Prime: Yeah. Yeah, that's another thing I was surprised at. It's not like... in the This movie is about like straight up killers. It's more like silent assassins.
Zach Sheets: I mean, he's still yeah he's doing the mechanic thing where it's like, because that was like but like Arthur Bishop's specialty is like making it look like accidents.
Zach Sheets: But this time Statham is Danny Bryce.
Chris Prime: That means interchangeable statham name.
Zach Sheets: Yeah. You just ate them.
Chris Prime: he's Apparently Australians see them?
Zach Sheets: maybe Yeah, maybe, I guess. Yeah, like he... Grew up in like an orphanage in Australia.
Chris Prime: And he has no Australian accent.
Zach Sheets: No.
Chris Prime: He's not even like faking it.
Zach Sheets: No. It doesn't even say mates or any like sort of like Australian slang.
Chris Prime: He could have. I feel like Statham is enough of... An actor that if you tell him, okay, try your best. Like... Mixeltrillion. a few words.
Chris Prime: Because he could do a Cogni accent. He can be very... you know, Proper in a sarcastic way. You can sneak in a Crocodile Dundee. once in a while in there.
Chris Prime: But no, he just straight up like... Ha ha. I am a... Like, a British Australian.
Chris Prime: And like the characters who are Australian are just straight up Australian.
Chris Prime: Or a... Uh, New Zealanders.
Zach Sheets: or they're Or they're like Australian but they're doing like crazy British accents, like like Dominic Purcell is uh australia but he's doing like a like he'ss basically He's basically Billy Butcher. He's basic doing Kyle Urban. From the boys.
Chris Prime: Or is Karl Urban doing the but like version of him?
Zach Sheets: Maybe, yeah You did it.
Chris Prime: I mean... Donnie Purcelli is actually very underrated. He's not even featured on the poster, but it is a pleasure to see him in this movie.
Zach Sheets: Do you think Carl Urban's last movie was like, oh, that's that's... this thing i'm reading this thing for the boy like a couple of years like when i get the thing this thing called the boys im Based my thing on Dominic Purcell.
Chris Prime: Pretty much. If you ever read the comic. Billy Butcher is not that. Like Billy Butcher is. way more prim and proper. And he's still aggressive, and he still is like...
Zach Sheets: Mm hmm.
Chris Prime: Like a hooligan. to his core and like being kind of like an old school ruffian thug But... He doesn't look like he just woke up and ate a Hot Pocket for breakfast. like Like it was in the show.
Zach Sheets: its
Chris Prime: and Dominic Purcell? Yeah. I believe he brushes his teeth with whiskey.
Zach Sheets: And and he's he's like full on like. Not giving up the 70s. Which, that was the smartest thing when I first saw this movie like back in 2011. It was like, oh, it's a... like a period piece. I didn't realize this was like in the eighties.
Chris Prime: Yeah, that's something you could tell how much time has gone on. Like... Filmmaking Where. They didn't hire... a set designer that knew to stay everything in a retro period.
Chris Prime: Because there are clothing. buildings and just certain aesthetics that like are not in the 80s you know like it's just That's blatantly modern day.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: They're like. Jathan's like... jacket he wears is not from the 80s. This bomber jacket he's wearing that's got like a zipper for a hood.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: That's not a thing. It's 1981. barely have like certain batteries, you know? like
Zach Sheets: It's. I mean, yeah, it's i mean it's still it's still basically the 70s. The 80s is basically still like the 70s.
Chris Prime: It hasn't become the 80s yet. No one... uh like yeah especially with like UK 80s? It's... It's still the 80s for them. like They didn't really embrace the like cocaine.
Chris Prime: Maniac. 80s until like 83. I'm going to say like when Bowie. was making more, like, pop hits, and he was the Thin White Duke, and, like...
Chris Prime: The UK revolution is now just like. Heroin. you know and everyone's punk or pop like that that kind of distinction This is like...
Chris Prime: they forgot all that. You know, it's what I'm saying. Like there, there isn't. They just didn't have the budget. and whoever they hired was just someone that's like i think i know what the 80s is like Let me scramble something together.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: They got the cars right. You know, that it's like the what like all the budget went into making sure all the cars are... Like. sort of decade. Accurate.
Zach Sheets: I do love the the opening texts. i like I like that they treat like like they're years ago, this like mind blowing twist where it's like. Like, it's like war cop war is like...
Zach Sheets: covert operatives strike across the globe wars breaking out in the middle east dot dot dot It is 1980.
Chris Prime: I think it's for like people like us where like we didn't know that and you're like, what?
Zach Sheets: It's like, whoa, it's a period piece.
Chris Prime: Yeah it's kind of wild. just because now that I know that, if you think, because... The marketing made it seem like that. didn't Didn't say the 80s at all.
Zach Sheets: No, yeah.
Chris Prime: Like, it it just... the The only, like... I have to remember like 15 years ago when I saw this movie. And I didn't see it in theater. I saw it later. Like on streaming.
Zach Sheets: i I remember they were like really pumping up like Statham versus Clive Owen. That was like the big thing of like, oh man, these two are finally going at it, like taking on each other.
Chris Prime: And. yeah i kind of remember that too i remember like the trailer gave away a lot of their fight sequences and it made it seem like it'll be this cat and my mouse game of them like trading blows every other scene And they don't.
Zach Sheets: That.
Chris Prime: I think like they only meet each other.
Zach Sheets: They have like two fights, yeah.
Chris Prime: Like, yeah, they have like two fights and the rest of the time. It's like... It's just Clive Owen like always being late. like catching them late for a while.
Zach Sheets: Yep. mm -hmm
Chris Prime: So... That's where like the killer leap part is not really like. Like who is the killer elite? Are they just kill elite killers? I think that movie should be called, like...
Zach Sheets: they're All of them are?
Chris Prime: Yeah. But the... but Technically, the Feathermen So do you want to get like before we get into that like Do you want to get like the explanation of what this is?
Zach Sheets: how it's it's like quote unquote based on a true story
Chris Prime: That's something to crawl like says to
Zach Sheets: Yeah. Mm hmm.
Zach Sheets: Yeah, so this movie's based on... A book from 1991 called The Feathermen. which is was like... Randolph Fiennes. who is a character in this movie.
Zach Sheets: and like his His book is a is a plot point in the movie.
Chris Prime: He wrote himself. And.
Zach Sheets: But then it's also like... that' That's like... like an like an anachronism because he wrote it came out 1991 and this movie takes place in 1980. Or 1981.
Zach Sheets: he's He's writing his like book about the feather bin. like 10 years before it came out.
Chris Prime: Oh, you're right. I kind of forgot that detail. Like it's like. This is an alternate universe?
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: That's wild.
Zach Sheets: And yeah, so the book is about like, yeah, it's like, it's... it's this the same similar plot where it's like there's SAS soldiers were being killed by a group of hitmen called The Clinic. And then...
Zach Sheets: Uh... Randolph Fiennes said that he was targeted by this group. But then like a group this other group called the Feathermen. Uh, Saved him by showing him like details about like the assassins that were after him.
Zach Sheets: And they kind of protected him. and they're like But then also, like, right... Right, like this... version of this of our story in your book and then kind of like publish that.
Zach Sheets: And then like as it went on, it was like... The book was like. I think it was like the hardcover version was like, it had like factor fiction on the cover. It was like, you decide if it's real or not. And then like, I think eventually the feedback version was like, it's, it's, it's fake. It's all fake.
Chris Prime: I think the marketing stunt. worked at the time because It was supposed to be this novelization. Heart. Like, tell all. Of these secret missions that he. that were declassified, and then...
Chris Prime: It was like five years of like all these people like debunking it or saying like, yeah, this is not how like. my family member died or what, you know, like it.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: It was. Kind of tragic because, like... All he had to do was... Like. say inspired by events or like not use the real names. But.
Chris Prime: I'm not sure in his novel he was just blatantly saying, this person, like... That was just like. beloved like, regiment person. was murdered and like what
Chris Prime: like not only is like did this person die from like whatever it's just like oh yeah like it was because of you know, an elite. squad called The Clinic.
Zach Sheets: He's just the special super assassins who are going around. Uh, Yeah, killing SAS soldiers who were like in... Oman.
Chris Prime: And then. I guess like. The marketing didn't want to. call the Feathermen because that That is only like... Uh...
Chris Prime: like you know like not really a good title in America, I guess.
Zach Sheets: Yeah, kill Killer Elite is punchier. but then But then that also confuses me because... There's a 70s movie called... The Killer Elite by Sam Peckinpah.
Zach Sheets: It stars James Caan and Robert Duvall. Also about like mercenaries who are like fighting each other. But this movie has nothing to do with that movie. that but The 70s movie is based on a different book. Called Monkey in the Middle.
Zach Sheets: So it's like these two different books. Two different movies. but then two movies are named the same it's it's like a whole this whole crazy web of like confusion
Zach Sheets: because because you would like totally believe like oh yeah they're remaking this like 70s movie With Stacey Statham and mc Clive Owen now.
Zach Sheets: But yeah, it's so totally different.
Zach Sheets: But anyway, as far as so as far as the, like... Plot goes, so... so It opens in Mexico. And we've got. Jason Statham. We got Robert De Niro.
Zach Sheets: who's Hunter, who's like Jason Statham's mentor and like kind of like... yeah Yeah, like his... trick Like... but i guess it's not his boss but just like his his like partner and like taught him everything And they're they're killing some random guy.
Zach Sheets: in Mexico. And then. Jason Statham sees like he goes to kill the guy and then sees a kid in the car and he kind of freezes and that like makes him get shot by uh one of the like like a police officer And then that kind of is like, I'm out. I'm done. I'm not doing this anymore.
Chris Prime: I mean, cause like. He was tired of killing. And. Technically, I think at this point... In. And he's like... Service as a mercenary? Uh...
Chris Prime: I think. He's been a straight up like... muscle. like He's not military.
Zach Sheets: I think he, I think he, I think he maybe he's former military or something.
Chris Prime: He's just... he's just military but not SAS.
Zach Sheets: It's... I think i think you said that you you have to assume any Jason Statham character is some sort of special ops, like Black Ops guy.
Chris Prime: That's true. He's got the same skill set. As, like... All his movies. but He...
Zach Sheets: Wait, he doesn't seem like he's specialized like how the other guys in the group are. Like one is like the recon kind of like subterfuge guy. And then it's like the. tech guy. And Statham's just like, i just guys I walk up and shoot everybody.
Chris Prime: Yeah.
Chris Prime: Well, he's good at improv. He's good at like. Last, like, second, okay, this works.
Zach Sheets: a
Chris Prime: And then I'll just like. Terrorize. Everyone. I'll be menacing. But yeah, like.
Chris Prime: It seems like The... His group is filled with like... UK specialists. And then... And then randomly Robert De Niro.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: and he kind of stands out a bit i don't mind that he's the american in the group but it's just jarring because... They never explain how they know each other.
Zach Sheets: Mm hmm.
Chris Prime: But it's it's enough that like he taught... Statham. Like... What he knows, I guess.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: And he's like a family friend to Robert De Niro's side.
Zach Sheets: Yeah, it's because yeah he later on De Niro's just like, oh yeah, my my wife loves him, my kids love him, everyone everyone loves him.
Chris Prime: He's great. Just don't make him mad. you when he's He'll be mad. You know, it's like... It... It was like... Robert Nero kind of is okay with... Statham walking away from this spotless cartel mission.
Chris Prime: It wasn't botched. It was just like, yeah, it's just the violent life. It's getting to Statham. And De Niro's like, I've been doing this for years. I love it. like
Zach Sheets: yeah we well you He's like, i'm glad I'm glad you got out. I'm glad like i'm glad you're leaving. like That's a good choice. Me on the other hand, I'm staying in.
Chris Prime: Yeah, I like this is for life
Zach Sheets: Even though I have like apparently i have like a wife and like multiple children.
Zach Sheets: But then it cuts to a year later and... Statham gets pulled back in. Because... Hunter. took a job for a sheik in Oman, but then he got uh,
Zach Sheets: Kidnapped by him. because Because he found out it was like a job to... kill Three SAS soldiers who killed the Sheik's sons. And so he can't return or like his son can't return to like their.
Zach Sheets: Uh, Homeland without... them killing the people like like he needs to get like her revenge on the people that kill the sons
Zach Sheets: And he's paying $6 million dollars to for the job.
Zach Sheets: But Statham's doing it for free because all yeah all he wants to do is get a Hunter out of there.
Chris Prime: I mean, you couldn't do both, right?
Zach Sheets: But...
Chris Prime: You couldn't get the money and Hunter? It's like You just said, yeah, I'll just take... the hunter part.
Zach Sheets: Mm hmm.
Chris Prime: I mean, that makes him seem morally in the right because he's doing it not for the money because he hates the money part
Zach Sheets: well first Well, first they tried like break they they tried to look like like just break out and just like escape. Like, Statham, like, kills a guy with, like, like like a water cup. And then, like, they're, like, running out and...
Zach Sheets: You get a big shootout, but then it's all like this, like...
Chris Prime: Wait, do do they kill people in that? I thought like they were really trying to minimize, like... The murder, so that way it's like...
Zach Sheets: I mean, I'm pretty sure i mean at least one guy just gets blasted a couple times. That guy's definitely dead. But then it seems like the Sheik and his son don't really care because there's just like like its the comes out and just like claps at them. Like, good try, but you'rere you're stuck.
Zach Sheets: you you killed You killed like two or three other guys, but we don't really care. We just hire more guys.
Zach Sheets: But yeah, but yeah, so say say stay some stuff. And then yeah your thing is, that it's the it's a the very mechanic. aspect of it is that the Sheik wants it to all the all the death kills to look like accidents. He also wants video confessions of the guys saying they killed his sons as proof that... they that Everything yeah got done correctly.
Chris Prime: Yeah, it's... It's like the... The little extra movie part about this where. They want to make it seem like. The... the people that they're killing are guilty of something and not just killing without like any any any kind of like reason
Zach Sheets: Mm hmm.
Chris Prime: But that's what's clever about this movie. it like it adds a little bit of like okay how do we explain this to set up like more of the drama and the tension. So...
Chris Prime: It's surprisingly. like clever that way like for that aspect But. Everything else is just like... I've seen this already. This movie is called Munich.
Zach Sheets: Yeah. or you Or it's... Or like if you watched... the mechanic like a couple months ago in 2011.
Zach Sheets: But yeah, they I think they have. So they have information on one, they have information on one of the guys and then they kind of have to like figure out. Uh, They know the names of all three guys, but they don't really know they only know where one guy really is. So then that's like their first target.
Zach Sheets: And there's it's a – There's a lot of travel. Like, Statham gets like a lot of air miles in this movie. like Like, I love that he flies he flies to London. just just to meet with like his guys like doc russell then Was it?
Chris Prime: 80 and young.
Zach Sheets: Uh, Leshy home.
Chris Prime: Alessio.
Zach Sheets: who plays Oh no, Aiden Yonge -Eppes -Meyer. And then. They're like, oh yeah, we're in. And then he then he flies back to Oman. He goes from Oman to London, back to Oman.
Chris Prime: This could have been a phone call.
Zach Sheets: Yeah. Yeah, just call your guys and be like, hey, you guys in? I got a job. They're like, all right, we're in.
Zach Sheets: But yeah, their first guy is like, he stayed at Oman. Like he's flying. choppers for like some sort of like British Uh, like Air Force Base.
Zach Sheets: And. but And he's got like a... Like. super like i don't know what he's doing his side or like what he's doing like he's like a a super fancy like beach front house.
Zach Sheets: And then their plan for him is that they're going to make it look like he slipped in the shower.
Chris Prime: Yeah, they want to make it seem like... It was like a loose tile, I guess. And that's how he bashes his head.
Zach Sheets: All right.
Chris Prime: But it's. it's a lot of like show not tell because you don't really know what he's doing until like two scenes later.
Zach Sheets: I don't know if it's like a loose tile. I think they like Statham takes the tile. Because...
Chris Prime: Oh, he molds it then, right?
Zach Sheets: They make. they they make They make a hammer. that has the tiles on it like the same tiles so then when they bash him in the back of the head it looks like it's like oh yeah look at there's tiles like he fell in the tiles like it's It's all in his head.
Chris Prime: Oh. because I thought this was weird tomahawk that they just made to just like simulate the same material on the guy.
Zach Sheets: no yeah it specifically was like we need to have it we need to have the exact same tiles on this like hammer so that when he bashed him in the back of the head it's like oh he hit his head head in the tiles and that killed him
Zach Sheets: Because, yeah, because they, are like, when they when they... actually do it like he sprays he's like squirts like shampoo over the floor like pulls the shower curtain down so like oh yeah he slipped the shampoo and fell in the shower and cracked his head open
Chris Prime: Oh, I... It was someone else that. Kinda does it. But.
Zach Sheets: Yeah, yeah, Meyer actually like does it off -screen, like, I should, like, bash them in the head.
Chris Prime: And then he like. I guess they have to like mock up the scene.
Zach Sheets: Mm.
Chris Prime: Yeah, it happens so quick. quick. And a lot of things kind of happen like without Statham doing it. So. The... The like poster kind of like lies on.
Chris Prime: who the elites are. I think I said that earlier, but again it's like a team effort but they really were just like let's highlight Statham De Niro and Clive Owens but most of everything else that they need relies on like the two teams.
Chris Prime: Of. Like. Featherman and the clinic. representatives. And it's like nowhere is that hinted at if you thought this would be just like these two. Like...
Chris Prime: to, like... operatives going head to head. You know, like a spy versus spy. It's like, nope. It's actually crew versus crew. But one crew is like a bank heist all the time.
Chris Prime: yeah essentially all these all this movie is very similar to like a bank heist movie
Zach Sheets: Yeah, it's it's it's kind of, it's's it's in like a weird spot. It's like, it's... Not quite. For, like, statement time. Because he had, like, the bank job. It's also, like like, a period movie. It's not quite there, but it's also not quite like...
Zach Sheets: the transporter crank it's like it's kind of likes like middle ground between the those two where so It's so it's like a lot of like it's not like Statham -ness to it. But it's also it's like a little bit more grounded than like. Like pure, pure insane Statham.
Zach Sheets: But like the big job is like a like a like a series like. more serious like it's like a just a straight up heist movie
Zach Sheets: Oh, should I mention... But... They hit like the... The hammer that they're going to use like to kill the first guy. uh they hid it in the middle like they had someone hide it in like the middle of the desert in like a like underground tunnel And then...
Zach Sheets: Uh. Ben Mendelsohn shows up. Because he's a feather man. Or, like, he's, like, Clive Owen's guy. And, like, he's, like, following them. And, like, they spot him. And so there's, like, a whole big thing where, like, they're running through, like, tunnels, and, like, there's a giant beehive, like, wasp, so like, wasp nest or something under the tunnels, and, like, Ben Melston, like, breaks it open, and they're, like... like gets away because he like let bees loose.
Zach Sheets: But that was crazy. That was that was crazy. like like young ben mendelsohn like younger ben mendelsohn
Chris Prime: younger is the right word, yeah.
Zach Sheets: but before before, like, anyone even knew who, like, Ben Nelson really was. He was just like, oh, it's like some random guy. Okay.
Zach Sheets: Because I feel like he really blew up like later.
Chris Prime: Yeah. It, like...
Chris Prime: His, like, portrayal, like, he's used perfectly well as, like, okay, he's not a big name, but there's potential. He does look... intense in the scenes he's in.
Chris Prime: In the like, limited scenes he's in.
Zach Sheets: He's just like... he's Yeah, he's he's just like a like a character actor in this movie.
Chris Prime: Mm hmm. but Yeah, like him utilizing the bees was like an interesting move. Like, it's for, like, a henchman, technically, like... like He's...
Chris Prime: he's he's not killed and it's He's like clever. But his plan was weird. It's just like, shoot at these guys, and then I'll just run. I don't have like a car. I don't have any like other plan. i just like He walked there.
Chris Prime: In the desert? He followed them and just walked.
Zach Sheets: yeah i guess so yeah because i don't yeah there's not like a he doesn't have a vehicle right it doesn't seem like he's like he's just like on a hill and he And he's there because. Uh... They were trying to figure out where the other two guys were. They knew where...
Zach Sheets: their first target Harris was. But then. Dominic Purcell goes to a bar that is like an SAS bar. It's like... getting woman drunk and be like, hey, anyone know these SAS guys?
Chris Prime: Yeah, what a way to stand out.
Zach Sheets: That's what he does every single time. He's just like... He goes like the artist later. He's like, hey, you'll... Either of these SAS guys.
Chris Prime: Are you part of the SAS? Are you friends with them? Can you call them?
Zach Sheets: I was there and then like You were not you're not you weren't there, dude. like You're a great big phony.
Chris Prime: Well no, it turns out he did.
Zach Sheets: Well, he was saying he was in like... wherever wherever it was. like Oman or whatever.
Chris Prime: But he's skilled enough that I think like he was an SAS. It's just that he's like such a recluse.
Zach Sheets: He... he so he said he He said he tried out for the SAS and he they didn't accept him.
Chris Prime: Oh. oh he flunked
Zach Sheets: He fucked out, yeah.
Chris Prime: I missed that part.
Zach Sheets: So he became he with like a, like a.
Chris Prime: A mercenary?
Zach Sheets: A rowdy mercenary.
Chris Prime: Okay, because I meant... It made it seem like he was part of the SAS, but then he was just like... he didn't like he doesn't follow rules he has disrespect so It makes sense where, like... He just... didn't get further in that career and probably got discharged.
Zach Sheets: yeah but yeah because he's making such a scene though that's like that kind of like triggers like the feather men to like The bartender calls the feather men. And so then they call. Clive Owen and Spike. who is former as yeah All of them are former SAS.
Zach Sheets: And so he's like, So that the feathermen like Spike. take the lead you gotta figure out who these guys are why they ask you about our like our guys I don't, what are the feather men? do besides...
Zach Sheets: Just like keep track of like. other SAS people. like It doesn't seem like they're like a... you know controlling other aspects of like society they're just like we we meet We just meet up and like probably drink.
Chris Prime: No. No.
Zach Sheets: Like.
Chris Prime: I...
Zach Sheets: Brandy and...
Chris Prime: Yeah, they they're just like a secret society, but like it's unsanctioned.
Zach Sheets: Rookie.
Chris Prime: And then... They are. like secretly funded by another Like. MI6, I guess, but it's like under the table.
Zach Sheets: Why am I...
Chris Prime: Because it's like something for them to do.
Zach Sheets: might well Well, the British government goes like it goes like they're like. turn like is against them because they're like we don't like sea secret societies and also like this is whole like this is like all a plot By us. To like...
Zach Sheets: to like get oil.
Chris Prime: No no no. I don't want to spoil it just yet, but I'll explain it. but The... Point of the Feathermen was they were protecting. They're like. the home defense of SAS.
Chris Prime: once they're done with like their duty and they're like they're they're They're like protected by this like secret police, basically.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: And... It makes sense that... There would be like. A covert. group that's watching like a brotherhood of other SAS. But the movie makes it seem more sinister than it is for just like the initial approach.
Zach Sheets: Yeah, they it make it seem like they're like Spectre or something. They're like, like we control all we like we're busy we like control business and governments. and It was like, no, this was like, it was like.
Zach Sheets: We all use the SES. We just like make sure like other SES guys are are cool. and Okay.
Chris Prime: But it like it's it's still, like, stuffy British, like, parliament within them where...
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: They still need a vote. They still need like... Like, a lot of... referendums to like do something new or like a bold decision that requires like months of deliberation
Zach Sheets: Mm hmm.
Chris Prime: Only because... In the novel. It's over like 17 years of.
Zach Sheets: mm -hmm
Chris Prime: of like events that Is, like, them hunting down the clinic and the clinic, like... trying to position themselves to. take out these SAS soldiers.
Zach Sheets: Yeah. i see And it seems in the movie in this this movie, it's like. Uh...
Chris Prime: A week?
Zach Sheets: Maybe a couple weeks? like
Chris Prime: And maybe a couple of weeks. And that's when I'm like, oh, the book is. slow -burned and methodical because it's The Feathermen, like, trying to...
Chris Prime: find clues and then see who the next target is and all those other other things that make sense in a You know. Like... Take your time with movies.
Chris Prime: But... And it take your time. Story. But this... This seems like... it's It's the mechanic. Where he's just. like you said like just Statham's going knocking off all these people by accident.
Chris Prime: And. You know, when you when you do it well, you don't know it's assassination attempts. But if it's like botched or it's like too much of a pattern, yeah. You know, like. By the second SAS, you're going to be like, hey.
Zach Sheets: So let's go down here.
Chris Prime: well it's second in like a week you know it's like
Zach Sheets: Mm hmm.
Chris Prime: Over 17 years? Okay. 17 years. That's life. Shit happens over 17 years. But not in like...
Zach Sheets: Two SAS guys who were in the same conflict at the same time.
Chris Prime: Two, two.
Zach Sheets: Like.
Chris Prime: And the only one who's put pieces together is Spike. Like it. On their side, like, the the, like, feather men, they're kind of, like, concerned, but they're like, whatever. Spike's got it. like And Clive Owen.
Chris Prime: I mean, he's doing a lot of work trying to explain. like the feather man side, but it's just. Like, the movie does such a bad job representing them. I mean, he's fine, but...
Chris Prime: The fact that the novel is based on their perspective.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: So it's as if the filmmaker was like mad at Ralph Fiennes was like, oh, no. like You want it. You made your weird. uh fact fiction we're gonna do like a total fiction of your Fact fiction.
Zach Sheets: I do like, for for Clive Owen's character, I do love that like he like he has like a wife and like like a baby. and then just abandons them, and they're they're never seen again.
Chris Prime: I kind of missed that part.
Zach Sheets: if
Chris Prime: I was like... Is it like that call he gets and he just leaves?
Zach Sheets: He... Yeah, he gets like get the first call and is' like his wife's like, I'm going to unplug that damn phone one of these days. And he's just like. It's important. And then you're like, he's like, all right. Yep. I'll take the job
Chris Prime: 50.
Zach Sheets: And then like...
Chris Prime: Years later.
Zach Sheets: and they get They cut back to like his apartment later. is like His wife and... like baby are just like not there he's like and he's smashing like his like Glass table and everything.
Chris Prime: Oh. See, like this movie's cleverer than it it shows because that's just subtle details. It's not like he he says to anyone, my wife left me with my baby. It's like all he has now is this.
Chris Prime: mission because he feels like a sense of duty. But like, it's all... meaningless once you realize you're just like a proxy and a weird global military thing.
Chris Prime: I only say that because I learned that from Metal Gear Solid. You know, like when you play a lot of Metal Gear Solid games.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: They use that word a lot. and it makes sense it's like they're soldiers they're tools so it's tools using each other's tools But there's a better version of explaining that. somewhere in this story.
Chris Prime: So, like I guys said, it's clever for... For what the... Plot is. And. and like the usage because it's not just like a gun hoe everyone run in guns blazing like the trailer makes it seem like at least the first two trailers
Zach Sheets: Yeah, it's it's it's trying to do a little bit little bit more than like... Like. The Mechanic Resurrection, which is just like pure Statham.
Chris Prime: Yep.
Zach Sheets: like This one's trying to have some political commentary, maybe some social commentary. Although... It's kind of like, it's... it's It's like this specifically British.
Zach Sheets: Like, of like events. So it's kind of like... you have to go on with If you're like American, you've probably heard a lot about this. so it's like kind i Go on Wikipedia and read about like the Darfur Rebellion and all that stuff.
Chris Prime: I think if you... like, are more familiar with. global conflicts. and a little bit more outside of the American scope of history. This was like probably taught in schools.
Zach Sheets: Yeah, well, it's it's like it's like one of the rare like Middle East things that happened that the US s like didn't really have any like involvement in.
Chris Prime: Yeah, it's mostly purely like a British Empire.
Zach Sheets: A British, like a British Oman. Yemen. Like conflict.
Chris Prime: all All the other territories that wasn't Afghanistan.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: I mean, once the other parts showed up, America wrote... wrote in
Chris Prime: But... Yeah. It definitely needs to, like... preface that for the American audience but I imagine when this came out in the UK this was just like oh everyone kind of knew what that was about
Zach Sheets: m
Chris Prime: Like, everyone in the... I guess Australia... like New Zealand. England. They, they like. they This was their conflict.
Chris Prime: You know, this wasn't our Blackhawk.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: This is their Blackhawk down.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: that That makes more sense.
Zach Sheets: Although I think Britain was kind of like secretly. in it like they weren't really like they weren't supposed to be like actually fighting it but then like apparently you know the ss was actually Yo, on the ground fighting.
Chris Prime: It's on ground there. I mean, they're probably advising, but then it's like they still... got into conflicts. one they probably shouldn't have.
Chris Prime: I believe that.
Chris Prime: I mean, I don't want to get into like. political things like that too deep because at some point I'm going to run out of like, yeah, that's all I remember from video games and movies.
Zach Sheets: Yeah. You skipped the Wikipedia page.
Chris Prime: But. He's like, I got it.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: I'm what do you call political expert now.
Zach Sheets: Mm hmm.
Zach Sheets: but But yeah, so they find a second guy. Craig. Who? I'm trying to figure out. So he's he like, he's still in the SAS.
Chris Prime: No, I think it's like... He has to up his service.
Zach Sheets: he's redoing it because like because he like he's doing he's getting ready for some crazy like night march like and on this this like remote but mountain range that feels like... It's like the final. like training thing it's like oh if you do this you're in the sas like it's if it's like this it's like brutal grueling march that you have to complete.
Zach Sheets: But then it's like. Yearly? Or it's like, I don't... I was trying to figure out why he was in the SAS already, and then he has to do this crazy march again.
Zach Sheets: but theyre But. The plan for him is that they're going to like. drug his coffee with like, uh, I think it's like insulin and some other some other drug, and then they'll like make give give him hypothermia, and he'll basically just die of exposure out there.
Zach Sheets: I love Statham sneaking into the hospital dressed as a doctor. He's like, hello, I'm a doctor. I'm Jason Statham.
Zach Sheets: i think I think a nurse is like someone who just hands him drugs. like drugs like oh here you go doctor You're wearing a doctor coat. I trust you.
Chris Prime: Yeah, you seem trustworthy, this guy we've never seen in... i don't know it's like the 80s still so you could just be like i wear the coat that means i'm a doctor
Zach Sheets: who
Zach Sheets: But this this is where we get the first. Statham Clever would fight. they're like They're in like like a side room and they have like a a big fight. And. this We are firmly in the area era of this movie. of like the like we're post like born like the born movies It's that shaky.
Zach Sheets: like handycam close -up fighting that I think we've got away from.
Chris Prime: Yeah all the fight scenes are filmed at the elbow.
Zach Sheets: Yeah, it's like you're in Statham's armpit.
Chris Prime: So. Yep.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: But I mean it's It's a style I don't like, but it makes it feel chaotic for like a few shots. But when it goes on for a while. Like. five minutes you're just like all right now this is enough
Zach Sheets: Yeah, like like let's just have a wide shot of like these guys fighting each other. like we don't you like because it's There's like tons of cuts, and yeah and you're like you're like... in Like. super close up. You can't really tell what's landing, like what what they're doing. But it was supposed to be like this like kinetic kind of like yeah chaotic.
Zach Sheets: uh, style. But I mean, that that was like every action movie of of it like this, like Sarah i was like, do we get. even like Even like Transformers. like Michael Bay was like doing that for Transformers. like I mean, like Megatron's... like Uh, Like.
Zach Sheets: leg right now or something.
Chris Prime: I wonder like what movie started it. What movie shot that? And they're like. Because it couldn't be the Bourne one. Right. Listen.
Zach Sheets: I mean, I think yeah i think i think it was i think it was it was like Born Supremacy, I think, was like the first one. They're like, oh, this is like a cool new, like, this is like such a kinetic new style of action.
Chris Prime: Okay. I feel like... You've probably seen the shot. By accident in some other, like... filler shot to kind of like... convey.
Chris Prime: Because you see, the the thing is like... When they do that, you see the look on their face while like... A body limb is coming. You know? So.
Chris Prime: one or two shots fine it's a show that like the impact's hitting they're they're like They're scared or they're like. Angry. but when it's yeah when's the whole fight you're like Okay, I wish I saw what's happening because I feel like this is just a dance.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: Like you you feel like you're just part of like. It's as if the the filmmaker was just like, what if you got in the middle of this fight? You're like, I do not want to be right there.
Zach Sheets: i think its I think it's kind of the thing, too. it's like it's like It's like you're in it. It's like you're in the middle of the fight.
Chris Prime: And I also see.
Zach Sheets: It's like... i
Chris Prime: you. poor versions of this where it's like spin cam And like. As if the fight is happening and... It wants to show you like the damage in the room. room.
Chris Prime: But Because it's the... Like... form fight style where You're like. folks everything's shot in the middle and sometimes like not like sometimes it's from like weird angles It really makes it seem like an even fight between the two of them.
Chris Prime: You know, like it's not like Statham is. Is like. Undisputed, like... the better fighter. It's like each guy. has like equal footing. so you don't know which direction the fight's gonna go. to go
Zach Sheets: what I do love that Statham ends it by just like... punching Claymore with a groin. It's like... That shots him and he's like... Take that, you wanker. And just walks off.
Chris Prime: I would have loved a...
Zach Sheets: Peace.
Chris Prime: Like a... Jason Bourne style. Shaky cam to the dick. like
Zach Sheets: Mm hmm.
Chris Prime: It follows like. jason statham like winding his hand up you think it's gonna go for his The Clive Owens mustache. And then it redirects to the crotch.
Zach Sheets: yeah and I also love too, like like I think one of like Clive Owen's guys walks in to help him, and then Statham just one -shots him in the throat and just drops him.
Chris Prime: Yeah, I don't know if that's Clive Owen's guy or that is just like...
Zach Sheets: or Like hospital security or something?
Chris Prime: Hospital security. Yeah. because it seems like the guy runs in he's not saying hey boss or anything
Zach Sheets: But yeah, Statham just like drops him.
Zach Sheets: Yep. Yeah.
Chris Prime: What's this?
Zach Sheets: He's got, I think Matt Nable's one of his guys who...
Chris Prime: Yeah, Matt Naples. And that's because I recognize him from like.
Zach Sheets: Who is it?
Chris Prime: Ready.
Zach Sheets: Arrow. I reached out ghoul.
Chris Prime: Oh yeah. I just remember Brudick and I forgot he's in it. I didn't see that season him as Ra's al Ghul.
Zach Sheets: mm -hmm
Zach Sheets: Yeah, two Arrowverse guys are in this movie.
Chris Prime: But... Speaking of which like donald purcell i mean he carries the movie too like when he's in it it's like You focus on him for a bit.
Zach Sheets: Oh, I mean, he's the he's the most, he's like. All the fun of this movie is him.
Zach Sheets: But yeah, but stay so Statham sneaks on he sneaks into the march. and is able to like he draples the drug craig gets it like it's the confess and then The last guy...
Zach Sheets: McCann. they they It's like... The first two were kind of like these like kind of like simple. Like... I thought it was like, we're going to rig up. A giant remote control truck.
Zach Sheets: It's like, they totally escalate their plans like this. like Crazy new level.
Zach Sheets: It's like, we're gonna turn this, like, gas truck into a mutual car.
Chris Prime: Yeah. that part I'm not sure is like Doable 1981.
Zach Sheets: who
Chris Prime: For the the way they're radio controlling it and for the accuracy. And and just, like... Uh... How like.
Chris Prime: How the movie portrays it. Like. I think. Someone turning on the radio would like... Destroy that radio signal.
Zach Sheets: pro Yeah, probably
Chris Prime: Unless he's got like super science radio control. like, tech in there.
Zach Sheets: But there's also there's also like a guy in the truck that's completely unaware that like like his his truck has been like rigged to be a remote control car.
Chris Prime: Yeah, that's like the thing. they like They... they broke in. There's a guy like Jake that they... they work
Zach Sheets: Yes, like some new good they bring a new guy in.
Chris Prime: I think Jake works there.
Zach Sheets: Yeah, and and my myer I think Meyer says, like, I'm stooping his mom or something.
Chris Prime: and it
Chris Prime: Yep. Yep. So... That's how they got in. they They did this agreement, which is pretty clever because that's like the. The whole...
Chris Prime: the logic to make this work because I think this happened. And... Like the Featherman book. Like someone was killed in a... like our collision.
Chris Prime: So this is their way of explaining that. It was a radio control car that did this. or radio control, like... Diesel
Chris Prime: Like I said, it's like that that tech didn't exist in 1981 like that.
Chris Prime: and they want to make it look clean so they didn't want to drive the truck themselves they didn't want the the driver to be like, oh, I was paid to do it.
Chris Prime: It's clever.
Zach Sheets: I mean... did they I mean, they need a guy in there for like to like do the gas because i guess like if i If they had written it up, they probably didn't even need a guy in the truck at all. They could just send the truck out. It's like a drone, basically.
Chris Prime: They could have, but then it's like mysterious car drives through daytime traffic.
Zach Sheets: Mm hmm.
Chris Prime: Also, what are the odds that... the target they're looking for was going to drive that route.
Zach Sheets: Well, because they called him and said like, hey, we have a job interview for you. like And then he said he's going to take this road. to they They told him, like, come to this place. So then they're like, oh, he's going to be on this road at this time.
Zach Sheets: because we We told him to be here at, like, 10 o 'clock or whatever. so
Chris Prime: Yeah, but like what? I mean... What if he went another way? And it's like.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: oh Crap.
Chris Prime: But you see, like that's where I'm like, oh, and the feather men. They're trying to explain that. It was a car that did this and... Like the tech didn't exist. Because I'm thinking about Scarface. In 1980.
Chris Prime: Two. Where it was like a control bomb that was in a car and they had to be within a distance to like use it And that was just that technology. That was like high tech for then.
Zach Sheets: what's this to like yeah eb like I think Myers would be like 75 feet from the the truck at all times. Or closer.
Chris Prime: that's it Yeah, yeah, but like... Any any radio wave would have like messed up. that signal.
Zach Sheets: Hmm.
Chris Prime: because it wasn't unless it's like isolated to like a channel but Radio waves are finicky because... Like... another band could like any kid with like an rc control could then hop on by accident and then that truck goes a different direction
Zach Sheets: and his His controller is like... like insanely huge like it's it's like it's his entire lap is like this controller It's like all kinds of dials and switches and everything on it.
Chris Prime: Yeah, it's like a puppeteer controller. Of how many, how many like things they need. And it wasn't like a steering wheel. it was
Zach Sheets: Yum.
Chris Prime: Because that wasn't invented like that yet.
Zach Sheets: So the one thing that would make it easier is like a stick rig wheel. It's like, no, I got to flip these three switches and then like pump this thing up and down. Then that steers it left.
Chris Prime: Yeah. i might get it it's like a truck so it has gears and stuff so he has to like mimic all that i guess
Chris Prime: Uh...
Zach Sheets: It works.
Chris Prime: yeah Yeah, I think. but but But, like... Then they're being followed by like an actual MI6 agent.
Zach Sheets: Well, I think it's's it's it's like spike it's like featherman it's like Spike's Featherman guys.
Chris Prime: Oh, that was a Featherman?
Zach Sheets: Yeah, I think so.
Chris Prime: Because his plan was to just follow them and then yell at each other. like you know such
Zach Sheets: Yep.
Chris Prime: They have a plan.
Chris Prime: The Featherman's just like, I found you. Now what? Stop.
Zach Sheets: Yeah, and then... It's like, yes, they they they it's like the like stand -up with like the featherman and then like uh By your Jake, then. Uh, Jake, who's super gung -ho, be like, I could be a like an assassin guy. like um'm I'm good at killing people. then he Like... Like, Meyer's fight is, what like, one of the like one the feather guys, and, like... Jake shoots hit like that guy in the head, but then it's like...
Zach Sheets: so close range that it's like he kills Meyer too.
Chris Prime: Too close. Well, he doesn't know anything about... Like.
Zach Sheets: Guns, yeah.
Chris Prime: bullet penetration and i get it and plus i guess that gun is
Zach Sheets: Mm hmm.
Chris Prime: Like a high... velocity bullet.
Zach Sheets: Yeah, that's like...
Chris Prime: So...
Zach Sheets: Yeah, it's like like like like a special or something. like a
Chris Prime: Yeah, so, I mean, it makes sense.
Zach Sheets: It's...
Chris Prime: In some movies, and make it makes it seem like gunshots stop at, like... the intended target and just lives there like the bullet lives but no it's like The bullets so... He shot so close with them. being in a tussle that Yeah, it kills both of them, which you don't really see a lot in movies, this this kind of, like, accidental kill.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: so
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: That's what I'm like, it's high praise for showing you that like, oh no, like. Things go wrong, even when it looks like. In other movies, it's it should be fine.
Zach Sheets: Yeah, and Statham's team finally they kind of got an L because like it's so it's it's been like all all the Feathermen are like like like constantly just like screwing up or losing. And it's like, oh, well, they can lose too. like they can like Get screwed up and like... It fails sometimes.
Zach Sheets: But that was the last guy. And then. Uh, they're gonna They're gonna fake a... Confession, like, they just have, like, films, like... davis or someone like maybe he's like just like saying like he's mccann and be like yeah that's it's him it's it's it was dark out but you could say it it was him Let's show that to the Sheik. off like get hunter like uh deliver that tape but then The Featherman tracked down Davies.
Zach Sheets: And. He tries to get away and... Gets... Absolutely creamed by a truck. Which is like a super shocking moment.
Chris Prime: Yeah, it's a... It's a weird exit out of the movie. movie just because you thought it'd be Like another radio control truck. Coming at him.
Zach Sheets: Yeah. Featherman made their own. It's like, you guys do that? We we saw what you guys did. We're making our own radio control truck.
Chris Prime: Yeah I thought that was the twist. where the truck was also the featherman's thing to make it even for like a death for a death
Zach Sheets: mm -hmm
Chris Prime: But no, that was just... Midnight traffic.
Chris Prime: And Davies was wearing like dark colette colors, so.
Zach Sheets: It was just you standing in the middle of the road, like not looking.
Chris Prime: Yeah, like even Clive Owen is like shocked. Or not Claiborne.
Chris Prime: All the other feather men chasing. him down.
Zach Sheets: Yeah, because they wanted to question him, and now he's dead, so they can't question him.
Zach Sheets: And then. There's a twist. there's a twist Uh, like, at so... Statham goes back to Australia where he's been like... there There's been like all these like different like flashes to like him.
Zach Sheets: He's... rebuilding his childhood orphanage because he grew up in orphanage and then he there's been these scenes where like him and uh yvonne strahovski who, like, grew up in the orphanage with him, and they're having, like... they're like building this like romantic relationship.
Zach Sheets: And then. So he's he's like back in Australia with her. But then... Uh, I think, is it? The... the agent finds them or someone like someone finds them and like puts like a bullet like under her pillow or under her head.
Chris Prime: it's the agent it's he's threatening her that like hey the sheik is threatening me
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: So it's it's a whole... like domino thing between them.
Zach Sheets: Because, yeah. Because because there's what there's one like there's one guy left. there like what One of the guys they killed wasn't actually the guy that killed someone. It was Randolph Fiennes, the author of The Featherman, is the guy that last guy they had to kill.
Chris Prime: Oh. Was the helicopter pilot?
Zach Sheets: Or something, yeah.
Chris Prime: Because right off fines in real life is like. he's one of the real life like adventurers of like
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: Our generation. Where?
Zach Sheets: He's got, like, yeah endurance records. Like, he went to north the North Pole. like he Climb out Everest.
Chris Prime: I mean, the man didn't stop. But one thing that really kind of like...
Zach Sheets: Mm -hmm.
Chris Prime: tarnish's record was writing a book that like didn't happen
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: And then saying he was a true story. like That's the only blemish on his thing. But the fact that they featured him in this and he's... Like, not quite as adventurous as I thought. You know, because when when he's he I was like, why does his name seem familiar? Then I looked it up. I was like, oh, wait, that's supposed to be him that wrote this book. This movie is based on.
Zach Sheets: It'd be like in a James Bond movie. Like, oh. yeah like There's this author named Ian Fleming. that he was like... is getting targeted by like Spectre.
Chris Prime: Oh, he's be Like. But he's... He's totally like... just like confused for like an adventurer he's just like You figure a guy like that, and you pull a gun on him or something, he'd be like, how dare you? Do you not know who I am? Like, very, like...
Chris Prime: What do you think? like
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: cartoon of adventure would be. But now you're just like. It would have been funnier if he confessed. Like, okay, no, no, I lied. I'm not.
Zach Sheets: yeah I made it all up.
Chris Prime: He kind of like it's that Gilderoy. Lockhart from Harry Potter where it's like he just. keep He keeps
Chris Prime: Not sure you know that reference.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: Well, it's this guy that claims he's like the best and then all he all he knew was like one spell really to like mind wipe everyone who like he stole like their stories or their like accolades from.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Zach Sheets: Mm hmm.
Chris Prime: That's also a British thing to do. Colonize and steal something.
Zach Sheets: yep
Chris Prime: So... I could see that. Like. They didn't want to portray that exactly. But the movie also makes it seem like... Ray F - Ray Fiennes died?
Zach Sheets: Well, I mean... Uh, Say something like they they track up the track of it, like... Rinald finds down and it's Statham. he does I think he does he does shoot him in the leg, but then he...
Zach Sheets: like make like pretends... like he like kind of I think he shoots around him and then takes pictures like... He's... Uh... Like, he's dead. I got killed him, but then it's like he actually didn't kill him because he's like...
Zach Sheets: Because what he's doing is like, i'm not I'm done with killing people thing.
Chris Prime: But it would have been weird if like...
Zach Sheets: I just want to...
Chris Prime: In this version. He's dead. It's like a what if. alternate history.
Zach Sheets: Yep.
Chris Prime: And then like. Some other guy pretends to be...
Chris Prime: is it I keep saying Ralph Fiennes, but it's not.
Zach Sheets: It's...
Chris Prime: It's Randolph.
Zach Sheets: Right. Renault finds, yeah.
Chris Prime: Renal.
Chris Prime: It's all like runoff vines is like oh no we have like Like a stand -in. For these kind of situations. i felt Like Clive Owens becomes Randolph Fiennes.
Zach Sheets: Yep. with with his money that he got.
Chris Prime: Yeah. He like slowly like... just like morphs into him because this is still the 80s like you don't know anyone yet you could you could literally move to the next town call yourself a new name and then just that's it like
Zach Sheets: okay
Chris Prime: Get yourself a library card and now you've got a whole new ID.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: Like maybe show them your name on. An electric bill.
Zach Sheets: But there's yeah there's a whole there's a whole big chase sequence. It's it's it's very Bourne -esque. the fight which the fighting is very boring this this like chase scene is also very boring because like it seems like jumping across buildings it's like like open windows and stuff
Chris Prime: Oh yeah, but this point of this movie...
Zach Sheets: It's like a parkour.
Chris Prime: at At that point in the movie, like it's a different movie.
Zach Sheets: Mm hmm.
Chris Prime: Because the first three kills is just supposed to be like accidents and precise. This last kill is like, I'm just going to run in and see what happens.
Zach Sheets: I shot the guy.
Chris Prime: Yeah.
Zach Sheets: He's dead.
Chris Prime: It's gonna be off script. I'm just gonna like reveal my face. There's gonna be a lot of witnesses
Zach Sheets: Mm -hmm.
Zach Sheets: I do like.
Chris Prime: Oh, also, at this point, I think, like, we gotta mention Robert De Niro's free, so, like, his whole... Drive is gone, but... I guess because like.
Zach Sheets: Well, they're threatening Anne now.
Chris Prime: That's right, yeah.
Zach Sheets: yes but and like They go to Paris. They leave. Like, he's like. If I show up, you like stay in Paris, like hang out in Paris, hey host hang out with Robert, you know, in Paris. I'll go do this one job left and then we'll... We'll go back to Australia you and then we'll be over.
Chris Prime: Also, we gotta mention that she doesn't quite know what... Uh, Danny Bryce does. It's just like this. this thing he tells her he's like if you trust me you'll just do all this and she's like okay
Zach Sheets: he like he he disappeared like He disappears and then like is like just keeps saying, like, one more job and i'll and it'll be ugly all over.
Chris Prime: and she keeps bringing And she really doesn't do much in this movie. It's just like a...
Zach Sheets: No.
Chris Prime: Mary Sue of just like, all right, well. I'll wait. Maybe I'm using that term wrong, but...
Zach Sheets: It's more like a Manic Pixie Dream Girl, kind of.
Chris Prime: It's just like she's the... Yeah, yeah, because they celebrate New Year's by shooting guns in the air, but that's just an Australian thing.
Zach Sheets: Yep. And she's like so put throwing hay out in a field for... some For some reason.
Chris Prime: She's not that manic, but... The manic of like, okay, i'llll I'll go on this globetrotting a adventure to avoid... Potential death?
Zach Sheets: Come with me to France. No questions asked. And she's like, all right.
Chris Prime: Also, how long have they known each other? It seems like A week? And it's just like. I love you. I trust you.
Chris Prime: Is that like over the over the years they reconnected?
Zach Sheets: Have you played? Yeah, play. It doesn't seem like it was the whole year he was, like, after Mexico, like, he, like... I don't think he, like... They've known each other for like a year. It's like we pick up a year later and she like introduces herself to him. Like, hey, you remember me? I was like that weird girl.
Zach Sheets: At the orphanage.
Chris Prime: With the red hair.
Zach Sheets: It's like, oh, yeah.
Chris Prime: And for what we know, they celebrated New Year's. Together. And that's when like their love bloomed. Because they were just friends at that point.
Zach Sheets: Mm hmm.
Chris Prime: And then...
Chris Prime: You gotta imagine it's just like... March. Like.
Chris Prime: You know, it's only been like four months.
Zach Sheets: m
Zach Sheets: But he's like, I trust i trust you.
Chris Prime: So...
Zach Sheets: you're you're mysterious like disappearances and like always having a gun around a carry a gun like looking out the window it's it's fine
Chris Prime: And the fact that like the last time they knew each other was when they were kids.
Zach Sheets: oh
Chris Prime: And they don't even have like a last photo together. It's like a group home photo.
Zach Sheets: A group photo. Yep.
Chris Prime: It would have been funny if it was just like... a digitally Badly digitally like altered. adult statham into a kid statham just like his head on a kid's body
Zach Sheets: Yep. Yup.
Chris Prime: like he was still like you know shaved and bald and a five a permanent at five o 'clock shadow but he's like five
Zach Sheets: Yvonne Strahovski is also like... 20 years younger than Statham at least.
Chris Prime: Is she?
Zach Sheets: She's like 82, I think. when she was born and then like uh like statham's like 67 if he was like maybe 67 when he was born
Chris Prime: Maybe like 15 years younger.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: But yeah, it's like, when when did you like never... Were you a time traveler?
Zach Sheets: Yeah, or like... you You were a baby in the orphanage in a state that was like 15?
Zach Sheets: I'm gonna marry that baby one day.
Zach Sheets: Anyway, but yeah, but but so Stan is trying to get away, but then he gets captured by... Spike. And then. They both kind of like, they're like, a like just like. warehouse and spikes like questioning him And then.
Zach Sheets: A mysterious British government agent shows up. And kind of like heum kind of reveals the secret. uh, like double cross plots movie where. the british government is actually behind deaths of all the Sheik's sons, because they wanted...
Zach Sheets: the Like the oil reserves? and then the sheik's son like is this what's right son is gonna be like basically give with the british government like Oil contracts.
Zach Sheets: And as long as like everything is like they clean up like. get rid of everybody that ty knows about it. Get rid of Statham, get rid of... Clive Owen, get rid of everybody.
Chris Prime: It makes sense where it's like a lot of... clean up. and they want to... Like... manipulate this group that they don't like.
Zach Sheets: yeah so so Yeah, so Spikes was double -crossed. Statham. like is It's also been double -crossed. And then there's like a big... There's like a... a three -way battle. And this is like...
Zach Sheets: I feel like this scene is when they really sold the trailer, which is like, Statham is strapped to a chair. and So he's this whole fight scene, like he's in a chair, like doing like, like. like breaking pieces of the chair off. And then there's like the.
Zach Sheets: The big, like he flips. in the chair onto Clive Owen's back.
Zach Sheets: But then the chair still doesn't break. like He's still in the chair. He didn't break them.
Chris Prime: That's it. Already checked.
Zach Sheets: Yes. It only breaks when he launches himself off the window and like lands on like a bus. And it breaks and he like runs away.
Chris Prime: Oh, it's like it's actually a pretty good like effect because it made it seem like whatever stuntman they tied to this chair. like They threw a man out a window.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: I got to see like how well this. how much practical effects were used for that.
Zach Sheets: i'm sure I'm sure that was mostly practical. I'm sure they... I mean, there's probably, like, wires or something involved. Like, I don't know. I don't know how you do, like, that... that Like... I got me. Maybe someone could do that flip, like, just, like, standing, and like, sitting in a chair and doing a flip and, like...
Zach Sheets: A full flip and landing on somebody, but... i Yeah, I just remember that that was like like the big like a big stinger in the trailer. Like, look look at this crazy flip move.
Zach Sheets: Statham's like slamming a chair and everyone's back.
Zach Sheets: But they managed they they killed the government agent. And then. Everyone heads back to Amon like the what like the the fourth time or fifth time in the movie.
Zach Sheets: they're They're getting like they're getting like their air miles to Oman. In.
Chris Prime: Yeah, the they really make it seem like... uh oh We didn't bring in the the sun. We didn't mention that the posh sun that was like. has nothing He just wants nothing to do with like the desert area.
Zach Sheets: yeah because his father sheik is like you you like i'll be dead but you you get to go back to like our homeland and live in the desert and like continue our legacy he's like i don't I went to like i i grew up i go went school in London. like I'm wearing fancy suits. like I do not want to but live in the deserts.
Chris Prime: I'm surprised the dad didn't not pick up on that immediately.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: he's like no no no the desert would harden this boy it's like that's a man
Zach Sheets: Mm hmm.
Chris Prime: Your son's not like... 15 and like trying to... Become the new Sheik. It's like... You're pretty much like. he's gonna betray everything.
Zach Sheets: yeah
Zach Sheets: But then it's... it's Instead of Jay Statham and... Robert De Niro showing up. to meet the Sheik. It's Spike. It's Clive Owen. Because Statham basically told him, like, hey...
Zach Sheets: I was hired by. like the sheik to kill your guys so and he's in oman so if you want to go like If you want to take care of him, like that's where he is.
Zach Sheets: Oh, and also, the other yeah like staium as they Robert still took care of the agent because the agent was like... like I think he wanted he wanted to kill Anne. that Because he wanted Statham State. it like He's like...
Zach Sheets: this like she's keeping him from being like a mercenary. Like. taking So I want him to still be a mercenary. Because he's like the best of the best.
Chris Prime: No, i you know he didn't I think he wanted revenge for losing out on 10 % of $6 million.
Zach Sheets: So I'll kill.
Zach Sheets: Okay, yeah. yeah but
Zach Sheets: Whatever reason, like he's like... like menacingly coming up behind her and someone with a gun so he's gonna do something nefarious to her. And then De Niro may just like pop them.
Chris Prime: not kill him just like threaten him and then be like all right bye
Zach Sheets: it's like i know how to find people i'll find you if you do anything if you come out near them again
Zach Sheets: She doesn't see any of this. She's just because the subway's like, I'm going to go to see the Louvre or something.
Chris Prime: Yeah, she's having a great Paris vacation.
Zach Sheets: Yep.
Zach Sheets: And then Claiborne kills the Sheik. And the son's like, I don't care. Whatever. And then like, there's a briefcase called of money. Take the money and get out of here.
Zach Sheets: So he leaves and then Statham and De Niro... to hunt chase him down and stop in the desert. And they... they Uh, do You don't make some of the money. for like his expenses and then state then he gave the rest to clive oh he's like Like.
Zach Sheets: You, uh... You kill a government agent, like, you can't go back to London, like, you're kind of like a fugitive now, so just take the money and then, like, end this, like, don't come after us.
Chris Prime: well that's what clive's like maybe i'll see the sequel
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: Which never happened.
Zach Sheets: It's not over for me. like End it. like It's over for me.
Chris Prime: Well, that's what Statham's like, let it go. like
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: I guess the. That's what Satan wins the morality war of this movie because.
Zach Sheets: mm -hmm
Chris Prime: he He's tired of this life. this is like this killing and being used and just like hired to do all this But Clive's got nothing. So I get him. He's like.
Chris Prime: I don't have a family anymore. I don't have a... I don't have like a drinking club to go with.
Zach Sheets: I had a family. I don't know what they just disappeared. I don't know where they went.
Zach Sheets: I feel like Statham should have taken a little bit of the money. like He's trying to like rebuild. This orphanage. for like...
Chris Prime: Yeah, he feels like he needs more funding.
Zach Sheets: For... For his house. like for his personal house, I guess. Like, like.
Chris Prime: Wait, he's going to live it and run it? But then... Watch, like... he doesn't have the like, The orphanage -like. warmth it's like he's still like Walks around with a gun.
Chris Prime: He's still alive.
Zach Sheets: i Yeah, i don't I don't know if he's like trying to like re like like build it back up to like reopen it for like like orphans, or if it's just like... This is my house now. i like I'm going to live in my old... like that Where I grew up.
Chris Prime: But, like, the orphanage seemed like it burnt down.
Zach Sheets: Yeah, it was it was very, like, it was a wreck. It's going to take a lot of work, which... you know Some of that money probably would have helped. you know Rebuild it quicker.
Zach Sheets: But no yeah, he's got... he doesn't want the the blood money of this whatever this job so he's like you take it
Zach Sheets: And I think, like, there's another like crazy, like, text at the end where it's just like... like Danny Bryce and the other operatives are out there somewhere still. at These wizards.
Chris Prime: There's still like the Feathermen aren't disbanded.
Zach Sheets: They're still out there. Yeah.
Chris Prime: But I think we'll... Danny Bryce is just running an orphanage, so... Go look for every new popped up orphanage in the 80s. And for all we know, like Clive Owen is just...
Chris Prime: Renal Fiennes.
Zach Sheets: Yep.
Chris Prime: Like a Spike. is just secretly the author.
Zach Sheets: he wrote Yeah, he wrote a new book about all this stuff.
Zach Sheets: Or or he he wrote the book Monkey in the Middle that became... The killer leaves.
Chris Prime: You know, for, like, the, maybe the last two years, I actually, or, like, I was weird, like, oh, Killer Elite, and I saw that, like, there was another movie called Killer Elite, and I was like, oh. that makes sense if like this is a remake and we just that's why it fell through people were comparing it but Yeah.
Zach Sheets: Yeah, I think I think I said like Because I went back and looked at my old review and on everything in action. I think I put this above Blitz. but behind the mechanic. For like the 2011 Jason Statham movies.
Chris Prime: I actually like this a little bit more than Mechanic. just because it's like an ensemble. And it balances out like... a mechanic parts by just having like a crew. Have their own like.
Chris Prime: Like, interactions. Because the mechanics, mostly him, like... Doing things and explaining to Ben Foster. It's like I do this because of this I do that because of that like Alright.
Zach Sheets: Yeah. Yeah, this would this i mean this one has like more of like a heist movie feel a little bit. it's like A little bit of a heist movie, a little bit of like... Like. Let's go. typical Statham stuff.
Zach Sheets: Him taking a Clive Owen.
Chris Prime: Yeah, I like the matchup between the two. because like they're Probably the... Besides Robert De Niro, like the other big build actors. So it's nice to see.
Chris Prime: Them share like... Screen time.
Zach Sheets: Yeah, because, cause like, Clive Vaughn was, like, on his, like, action run, too. Like, he like shoot him up and...
Chris Prime: The Continental?
Zach Sheets: The. The International.
Chris Prime: International.
Zach Sheets: Children of men.
Chris Prime: Sin City. Well, Sin City sort of started it.
Zach Sheets: So... Yeah, Sin City definitely. Well, King Arthur also was before Sin City.
Chris Prime: true
Zach Sheets: And he was in he was in he was in the Bourne Identity.
Chris Prime: Yeah, as the professor.
Zach Sheets: Yep.
Chris Prime: But, uh, you know... i just For me, the only thing I don't like that... for a piece, it's like... They half -ass the periodness.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: Certain things just sort of like take you out and then... like the uk still looks like the uk you know it's not like You don't see any like modern buildings too much. But. In the first building they go to, like, the first guy that they go, like...
Chris Prime: Whatever the first SES agent, they wanted to bash his head in with a shower.
Zach Sheets: that Yeah, that was like a super modern like... Uh, like... 2011, like... like beachside house
Chris Prime: Yeah. it There's so many fixtures in there. Like architecture wise, that's too, 1981, this guy's from the future.
Zach Sheets: Yup.
Chris Prime: And then.
Zach Sheets: He foresaw like the like the future style.
Chris Prime: And then like just this interior, and then you see all the fixtures and stuff, all the brass, metal, and all that. I'm like... Like, diamond brass. Gold. like this is the 80s was the era of like ornate brass on dumb shit. If you looked at like...
Chris Prime: you know, like wooden shit, like stuff that actually mold in the bathroom. That's what it will be, you know, like.
Zach Sheets: mm -hmm
Chris Prime: At Pink. Thick. composite plastic. That would be high end in that era bathroom. It would be fur. Like still like in the bathroom, like it would be like shag carpeting.
Zach Sheets: Yeah. also music wise too like there's not really like there's like there's like one song they like i maybe just didn't have the budget for songs but like there's no like period songs really in this movie
Chris Prime: I thought I heard a Bowie song.
Zach Sheets: Like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, Like outside like the... base to let Statham jump over the fence.
Chris Prime: Oh, yeah, yeah. That's like the... but then Okay, there's like another song they play in the bar. The punk. group. Please.
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: But then it gets... Clive Owen breaks in, goes, respect. like show some respect.
Zach Sheets: Hmm.
Chris Prime: So... Like... Yeah, they kind of keep it on a minimum, but... It's weird.
Zach Sheets: it's iss it It's definitely better than like, I think it's like a 23 % on Rotten Tomatoes. like it's it's i don't think it's that bad it's like it's a perfectly it's a perfectly adequate Jesus, stay at the movie.
Zach Sheets: Like, it's like... it's like like definitely like online with like the but like the other two that came out that year.
Zach Sheets: it's it's it's a It's a little bit more interesting than like some of his recent stuff that's like just like the same movie over and over again. Like Shelter and Mutiny. this year. They're both like, it's like.
Zach Sheets: the jason statham formula it's like a t that but like nothing is different not like nothing you don't expect It's like he's a. elite former sold like elite former soldier who retired but i guess it gets drawn back in because someone shows up It needs his help.
Zach Sheets: And he has to fight like shadowy government people.
Chris Prime: I mean... They could have cut the trailers like two versions where like the Clive Owen side and the Jason Statham side. That'd be interesting. Where they show you both groups.
Chris Prime: But you really follow Statham a lot.
Zach Sheets: was this like Was this, like, too early for, like, hashtags? Like, team... team and Well, I guess... the the Don't name. Like. Statham's group. Like, team clinic, team...
Chris Prime: Featherman.
Zach Sheets: Featherman.
Chris Prime: Yeah, they don't. yeah Hashtags were around
Zach Sheets: Yeah.
Chris Prime: Hashtags became popular in like 2008.
Chris Prime: but yeah i get what you mean
Zach Sheets: Because because like Twilight came out before that too, so that the the whole like team stuff was happening. Pop culture.
Zach Sheets: Yeah, I say if you haven't if you haven't seen it in a while or never seen it, I say check it out. It's on Peacock. That's where I watched it. I think it's i think it's actually, like, all, i like... every surface that gets it.
Zach Sheets: Like it's not like Roku and... uh like pluto like like all every like to be probably i think has it Like it's.
Zach Sheets: There's no there's the way to they like not find Killer Elite.
Zach Sheets: Yes, it's like the CW app has its... It's on YouTube. So... Yeah, definitely definitely not hard to find Killer Elite out there.
Zach Sheets: So I think that'll do it for this week. Come back next week. We're going to be. Kicking off. our October Halloween horror run.
Zach Sheets: And talking about a classic, Pumpkinhead.
Zach Sheets: The, uh, you know, Lance Ferguson, the... Cult classic. Yeah, I think... There's only like, was there two? Or it was like, it was. How he moved... It was like...
Zach Sheets: Definitely more than you think there was for Pumpkinhead.
Zach Sheets: Okay. A director reviewed a sequel on two TV movie sequels, so... And a video game.
Chris Prime: yeah i don't remember the video game
Zach Sheets: I think it was like an FMV game, possibly. like Oh, a first -person shooter. Okay.
Chris Prime: Didn't see that coming.
Zach Sheets: We'll have to look into that and talk about that next week a lot with everything else going on with Pupkin. But they'll yeah yeah, they'll kick off our our horror month for next month. so Come back and check that all out. And if you're hearing this also, our...
Zach Sheets: Commentary for this month is up. Masterminds, the Patrick Stewart takes over a school movie. because it's back -to -school season. So you can... Stick that up. Watch it along with us. And all the other stuff. usual stuff to say as well we got news reviews trailers all kinds of stuff so check all that stuff out And yeah, so for Chris, I'm Zach, and we will see you next week.
