When the cops’ hands are as dirty as the town crooks’, isn’t it fitting that a rogue soldier-turned-outlaw must clean up the mess?
English martial artist and actor Scott Adkins reunites with Isaac Florentine for the revenge actioner Close Range, the seventh collaboration by the B-movie duo.
Adkins, best known for his role as Boyka in Florentine’s Undisputed series, plays Colton MacReady, a “gringo” who becomes a wanted man after saving his abducted niece Hailey (Madison Lawlor) from a Mexican drug cartel, wiping out an army of their men, and stealing their flash drive, the contents of which could spill the secrets to a fortune of misdeeds.
MacReady, whose only loyalty is towards his sister Angela (Caitlin Keats) and her daughter, must protect his family from a vengeful gangster (Fernando Garcia), a corrupt sheriff (Nick Chinlund), and an endless supply of henchmen.
From the opening scene to the final showdown, Close Range allows Adkins, who also executive produced the film, to flaunt his physical prowess via his latest alias, a morally ambiguous man who loves to take down his foes without bothering with the small talk.
Ahead of the film’s December release, I spoke with Adkins about reteaming with Florentine, the appeal of the anti-hero, and his passion for the more raw and realistic action films of his childhood.
ScreenPicks: This is now your seventh film with Isaac Florentine. How do you two keep your collaborations fresh and exciting for each other?
Adkins: “Well, you know, he’s the best action director working in America. I don’t get bored about that fact, and I get excited about that fact. And we’re already doing another film together. So, you know, I know what he’s capable of; he knows what I’m capable of. We do our best every time to make the best action film that we possibly can. And that’s it.”
ScreenPicks: So there’s this saying that you often hear that the villain is the hero of his own story. With your character, while a noble man in this scenario, he could also be considered a villain on any other day. I was wondering what you think it is about the anti-hero that makes him such an appealing character type for audiences.
Adkins: “Well, I think that’s more like real people, isn’t it? In real life, nobody’s black or white; they’re all different shades of grey. You’ve got your nice guys but they’ve got dark features and bad guys that do good things occasionally. It’s more realistic and I think more intriguing because it’s more true to life. Everybody loves a bad guy, you know, ’cause you can live vicariously through that character. It’s fun to watch that guy who is gonna do the things that you wish you could do but you just can’t — there would be very bad consequences. And Colton MacReady is one of those guys who are that guy and doesn’t take any shit and would soon punch you in the face than question you about something. He’s a badass.”
ScreenPicks: Unlike most action films, which tend to cater to the male gaze, I thought it was refreshing that in this film the women aren’t being sexually objectified and they aren’t dismissed as just the eye candy in the background. Instead, for this film we have your character who’s providing the eye candy moments — there’s a scene where you’re shirtless. Was it always the intention to switch up the gender roles?
Adkins: “Well, when I take my top off, that was — we weren’t meant to do that at all. What happened was, in pre-production, we were discussing about the opening sequence where I kill all those guys. And I’m not sure how this happened, but we imagined that I was going to be covered in blood. When we were originally thinking that, I was supposed to be covered in blood. But when we got to film we decided that Colt’s gotta change his shirt, right? The other one was gonna be covered in blood.
“We had to really change my shirt because otherwise this is going, ‘Wait a minute. You’ve got a different shirt. What’s going on?’ But I have to take it off and put the other one on. And it looks like, ‘Okay, you just need to get your hairy chest out again for the ladies.’ But that’s not the case. We were doing it because we thought my shirt was going to be covered in blood. So when we came to shoot that sequence, I wasn’t covered in blood.”
ScreenPicks: Oh, I guess it could still be interpreted that way.
Adkins: “We have got a strong female character in this film, played by Caitlin Keats, who can more than hold her own with a weapon … I think it’s important to show with women that they can look after themselves, you know?”
ScreenPicks: As opposed to big studio films, low budget productions are obviously more limited in resources as well as the time you have for filming. Do you think it’s kind of a good pressure to have, since it forces you to be more creative with whatever you have?
Adkins: “It forces you to be more creative. I mean, you have to press down the script. You have to get it right. You can’t afford to — what we’re gonna do instead, what can we afford. It’s creative in that way, but it’s not like the world is yours, you can do whatever you want. You’ve gotta say, ‘Okay, we’re gonna take down this big action set piece, and we’re just gonna have a fight sequence … Because that we can afford.’ We make films that are a bit more gritty, but I like films like that anyway, to be honest … I prefer the old style of action.”
ScreenPicks: Films like these appeal to audiences that want the ‘80s and ‘90s gritty-style action films back, which we don’t see that much of in the mainstream, which is dominated by effects-heavy superhero films. Do you think that with the success of films like The Expendables franchise that it will encourage the big studios to develop more of the old-school type of action films?
Adkins: “Fortunately, superhero films are amazing, and I love them as much as anyone. But it’s always nice to see things done for real and those stunts are real … I get much more satisfaction out of seeing real stunts and seeing a guy that can really do his own fights, things like that. Personally, that is what I like to see. Maybe it’s because I’m a child of the ’80s — ’70s and ’80s — that I like that … And I know that I’m not the only one because that’s why we make these films. But yeah, they are a bit of a throwback. I’m aware that these films aren’t necessarily mainstream, but I’m catering to the guy like myself who enjoys to see this.”
ScreenPicks: And finally I know that you’re currently working on Marvel’s Doctor Strange. And I know you’re probably not allowed to talk about it, but I was wondering what it was about this project that made you want to do it because there’s a lot of superhero films to choose from.
Adkins: “It’s an opportunity to be in a huge movie that’s going to be seen by everyone. It’s great for my career — and I’m not talking down to comic book movies. I was a huge fan of Marvel comics when I was a kid. I loved it. Spider-Man, my favourite. The Punisher. I love comic book movies; don’t get me wrong … Marvel are amazing at what they do. They consistently knock it out of the park.”
Close Range will be released on VOD and iTunes on December 4. A limited theatrical release is set for December 11.
(All photos are courtesy of XLrator Media.)
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