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Tag: joel-kinnaman

  • Movie Review: ‘The Silent Hour’

    (L to R) Joel Kinnaman and Sandra Mae Frank in 'The Silent Hour'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Joel Kinnaman and Sandra Mae Frank in ‘The Silent Hour’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Opening in limited release on October 11th, ‘The Silent Hour’ is proof that one intriguing element is no guarantee that a thriller won’t turn out to be rote and mostly bland despite a decent cast.

    It’s even more surprising coming from a director such as Brad Anderson, who has made the far more striking and interesting likes of ‘The Machinist’ and ‘Transsiberian.’

    Related Article: Joel Kinnaman Talks ‘Silent Night’ and Working with Director John Woo

    Will ‘The Silent Hour’ make itself heard?

    (L to R) Joel Kinnaman and Sandra Mae Frank in 'The Silent Hour'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Joel Kinnaman and Sandra Mae Frank in ‘The Silent Hour’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    With the feel of a straight-to-home entertainment movie cranked out on the cheap, ‘The Silent Hour’ doesn’t really have too much that makes it stand out, and too little to recommend it besides to Joel Kinnaman completists.

    It’s predictable and workmanlike, with decent performances, but rarely rises above the blandly basic in terms of its story or action.

    Script and Direction

    (L to R) Joel Kinnaman and Mark Strong in 'The Silent Hour'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Joel Kinnaman and Mark Strong in ‘The Silent Hour’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    The movie appears to be the first produced credit for writer Dan Hall, and indeed the finished product does bear some hallmarks of a first-time writer whose early drafts ended up on screen.

    ‘The Silent Hour’s characters are serviceable at best, and perfunctory at worst –– the vast majority of them exist to be archetypes or plot devices, and even Ava, who is one of the lead characters, is mostly reduced to being a damsel in distress.

    Director Brad Anderson has certainly made better movies than this in his career, and while he shows a few flashes of the stylish, gritty flair he’s brought to those (he does, for example, make good use of the claustrophobic setting of the near-abandoned apartment building).

    And as a filmmaker who has gotten astonishing performances from actors before, this time he appears stuck in a rut.

    Performances

    Joel Kinnaman scores the lion’s share of the screen time, but beyond his condition, it’s hard to really empathize with his situation.

    Joel Kinnaman as Frank Shaw

    Joel Kinnaman in 'The Silent Hour'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    Joel Kinnaman in ‘The Silent Hour’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    We’ve seen Kinnaman in gimmicky thrillers such as this before –– last year found him as a voiceless, vengeful, grieving father in John Woo’s ‘Silent Night’, but that at least boasted the filmmaker’s singular, stylish eye for action.

    Here, while the idea of a cop whose hearing is failing following an accident is sufficiently interesting at first, the character offers little for the actor to really dig into. His reliance on his less-than-proficient sign language and his sparky partnership with Sandra Mae Frank’s Ava work, but they’re not enough to support a film that has other, major issues.

    Sandra Mae Frank as Ava

    (L to R) Sandra Mae Frank and Joel Kinnaman in 'The Silent Hour'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Sandra Mae Frank and Joel Kinnaman in ‘The Silent Hour’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Frank is a deaf actor who campaigns for deaf performers to be cast in more roles, but here it still feels like she is used as a gimmick more than a layered character. As a drug-using occupant of a condemned apartment building, she spends most of her time being threatened or saved by the men around her.

    Mekhi Pfifer as Lynch

    Mekhi Phifer in 'The Silent Hour'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    Mekhi Phifer in ‘The Silent Hour’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Pfifer can bring nuance and subtlety when he’s given a chance, but the character of the gruff crooked cop who leads a group of similarly on-the-take officers gives him little chance to show that off.

    Instead, he’s reduced to barking orders, swearing and firing a gun (it’s somewhat hilarious that this movie’s villains have almost ‘A-Team’ levels of inability to shoot straight), or running around the apartment block looking for Kinnaman’s character.

    Mark Strong as Doug

    Mark Strong in 'The Silent Hour'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    Mark Strong in ‘The Silent Hour’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Playing Kinnaman’s partner, Strong is also fairly wasted. Introduced as the friendly, jokey best-pal cop, he largely disappears from the movie for large stretches of it, until called upon to return.

    Strong is a much better actor than this movie deserves, and though he does his best with what is on offer, even his talent can’t make it work.

    Supporting cast

    (L to R) Joel Kinnaman and Mark Strong in 'The Silent Hour'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Joel Kinnaman and Mark Strong in ‘The Silent Hour’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Most of the other characters are entirely forgettable; a bunch of baddies who run around and shoot guns (as mentioned above, badly) and shout vulgarity while trying to achieve their crooked aims. Frank’s daughter Sam, played by Katrina Lupi, primarily serves the purpose of being his concerned cheerleader in a couple of brief scenes. Her role falls to a cliched level we’ve seen many, many times before.

    Final Thoughts

    Joel Kinnaman in 'The Silent Hour'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    Joel Kinnaman in ‘The Silent Hour’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    The idea of a cop who has to deal with failing hearing and comes up against corrupt colleagues should really have made for a more interesting movie than this.

    And given the talent involved –– particularly Anderson –– it feels like even more of a disappointment. The resulting film is akin to watching a good-looking car driving past that sounds like a broken-down jalopy; there’s a real sense of cognitive dissonance.

    There are much better thrillers out there in the world, and much more nuanced treatments of deafness on screen, where people who live with it are not just used as props.

    ‘The Silent Hour’ receives 5.5 out of 10 stars.

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    What’s the plot of ‘The Silent Hour’?

    Frank Shaw (Joel Kinnaman) is a Boston detective who, after a line-of-duty accident, loses his hearing. Frustrated with his new life, Frank contemplates leaving the police force, but his partner Doug (Mark Strong) convinces him to prove he can still be a great cop.

    With his new role as a sign language interpreter for the department, Frank is now tasked with protecting Ava (Sandra Mae Frank), a deaf woman witness to a double murder.

    Who is in the cast of ‘The Silent Hour’?

    • Joel Kinnaman as Frank Shaw
    • Sandra Mae Frank as Ava
    • Mekhi Phifer as Lynch
    • Mark Strong as Doug Slater
    (L to R) Sandra Mae Frank and Joel Kinnaman in 'The Silent Hour'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Sandra Mae Frank and Joel Kinnaman in ‘The Silent Hour’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    List of Joel Kinnaman Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘The Silent Hour’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Joel Kinnaman Movies on Amazon

     

     

  • Frank Grillo Joins ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2

    Frank Grillo and director James Gunn on the set of 'Peacemaker' season 2.
    (L to R) Frank Grillo and director James Gunn on the set of ‘Peacemaker’ season 2. Photo: James Gunn’s Instagram account.

    Preview:

    • Frank Grillo will join ‘Peacemaker’ for Season 2.
    • He’s playing Rick Flag Sr.
    • It’s a role he’ll also voice in the animated series Creature Commandos.

    We already knew that genre favorite and all-round bad-ass Frank Grillo had made the leap from the MCU to DC for one of the first projects in James Gunn’s new vision for the DC universe of movies and TV series, as he’d been cast to voice Rick Flag Sr. in the animated series ‘Creature Commandos’.

    Now, though, he’s taking Rick into live-action territory, as he’ll also play the character in Season 2 of ‘Peacemaker’, which was created by Gunn.

    Gunn hit Instagram to announce the news:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/C6y0CbuAZhn/

    What’s the story of ‘Peacemaker’?

    John Cena in 'Peacemaker'.
    John Cena in ‘Peacemaker’. Photo: Max.

    ‘Peacemaker’ continues the story of Christopher Smith (John Cena), the violent, insecure vigilante who was first brought to cinema screens in Gunn’s 2021 ‘The Suicide Squad’.

    The series broadened and –– yes, even deepened –– our understanding of the character, showing his fractured family background and even more neuroses. All the while introducing an alien scheme to take over the world and a group of other characters he interacts with.

    For the first season, the show’s cast included Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, Chukwudi Iwuji, Steve Agee, and Robert Patrick. And not forgetting the best of them all –– Peacemaker’s faithful bird pal Eagly (himself), who often helped his friend out of scrapes.

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    What will happen in ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2?

    John Cena in HBO Max's 'Peacemaker.'
    John Cena in HBO Max’s ‘Peacemaker.’

    Nothing has been revealed about what the second season will be about, though there were some dangling plot threads.

    But with the presence of Flag Sr., we have one very big clue. Because in ‘The Suicide Squad’, Smith was ordered to stop Rick Flag Jr. (Joel Kinnaman) from delivering evidence to the press of the American government’s involvement in an alien conspiracy. He did so by killing him. You’d have to figure that Flag’s dad will come looking for a little vengeance…

    Who is making ‘Peacemaker’?

    Frank Grillo and director James Gunn on the set of 'Peacemaker' season 2.
    (L to R) Frank Grillo and director James Gunn on the set of ‘Peacemaker’ season 2. Photo: James Gunn’s Instagram account.

    Gunn wrote all of Season 1 and it appears he’s also scripted the vast majority of the second season, also. He directed five of that season’s eight-episode run.

    And despite already being hard at work on ‘Superman’ (which is in production for an 11th July 2025 release), he’s somehow found time to direct several episodes of the new ‘Peacemaker’ season.

    Related Article: Frank Grillo Talks ‘Lights Out’ and DC Studio’s ‘Creature Commandos’

    What is ‘Creature Commandos’?

    DC Studios' 'Creature Commandos.'
    DC Studios’ ‘Creature Commandos.’ Photo: DC and Warner Bros.

    ‘Creature Commandos’ adapts Pat Broderick and| J.M. DeMatteis’ comic book series, and focuses on a black ops team of monsters assembled by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), led by Flag Sr. Among the characters we have the Bride of Frankenstein, Dr. Phosphorous, Eric Frankenstein, G.I. Robot and Weasel.

    The show will launch on the Max streaming service later this year.

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    When will ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 be on screens?

    James Gunn has yet to announce when ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 will arrive on Max, but in Eagly we trust!

    John Cena in HBO Max's 'Peacemaker.'
    John Cena in HBO Max’s ‘Peacemaker.’

    Similar Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy DC Movies On Amazon

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  • Movie Review: ‘Silent Night’

    Joel Kinnaman as Godlock in 'Silent Night.'
    Joel Kinnaman as Godlock in ‘Silent Night.’ Photo Credit: Carlos Latapi.

    Opening in theaters on December 1st is John Woo’s ‘Silent Night,’ starring Joel Kinnaman, Scott Mescudi, Harold Torres, and Catalina Sandino Moreno.

    Initial Thoughts

    Joel Kinnaman and director John Woo on the set of 'Silent Night.'
    (L to R) Joel Kinnaman and director John Woo on the set of ‘Silent Night.’ Photo Credit: Carlos Latapi.

    It’s been 20 years since John Woo made a movie for an American studio, and the action genre has missed this Hong Kong master during his absence. Woo does indeed bring a number of his trademark stylistic moves to ‘Silent Night,’ and is aided by a ferocious performance from Joel Kinnaman. But both are saddled with a derivative revenge story and a gimmick that quickly becomes contrived, making Woo’s return to Hollywood a mixed bag at best.

    Story and Direction

    Director John Woo and Scott Mescudi on the set of 'Silent Night.'
    (L to R) Director John Woo and Scott Mescudi on the set of ‘Silent Night.’ Photo Credit: Carlos Latapi.

    Before there was ‘John Wick’ or ‘The Matrix’ or ‘Fast and Furious,’ there was John Woo. The Hong Kong master of action cinema rose to international prominence in the late 1980s and early ‘90s through such masterpieces of visceral action and violence as ‘The Killer’ and ‘Bullet in the Head,’ which combined double-fisted shootouts, almost gravity-defying action, and operatic, weirdly sentimental epics of male relationships and loyalties strained to the breaking point and beyond.

    Woo eventually found his way to Hollywood, but after a string of hits and misses that included two legitimately terrific films – ‘Broken Arrow’ and ‘Face/Off’ – he returned to make movies in Hong Kong following 2003’s disappointing ‘Paycheck.’ But now he’s come back to these shores for his first Hollywood film in two decades, the revenge thriller ‘Silent Night.’

    Joel Kinnaman stars as Brian Godlock (yes, that’s the name) who, when we first meet him, is wearing a bloodied ugly Christmas sweater and chasing two cars on foot as the inhabitants of the cars exchange wild gunfire through the streets. This first scene immediately makes us realize how much we’ve missed Mr. Woo: it’s intense, strangely symbolic (there’s a red balloon floating above that Godlock keeps his eye on), and absolutely bonkers, ending with Godlock doing a bit of parkour and several gangbangers impaled through their windshield.

    Harold Torres as Playa in 'Silent Night.'
    Harold Torres as Playa in ‘Silent Night.’ Photo Credit: Carlos Latapi.

    But not all of them: the leader, a truly menacing dude (Harold Torres) who we find out later is named Playa (yes, that’s the name), gets out of one of the cars, pulls out his gun, and puts one in Godlock’s throat, seemingly leaving him to bleed out. Over the course of the next few scenes, as Godlock recovers in the hospital from the brink of death, we find out the back story: Godlock and his wife Saya (Catalina Sandino Moreno) were playing in their front yard with their young son when the gang cars careened by, a stray bullet instantly ending the boy’s life.

    From there, you can guess what happens, mainly because Robert Archer Lynn’s script is derivative, cliched, and predictable as hell: Godlock begins a single-minded quest to avenge his boy’s death, spending the next full year getting in top physical shape and training himself as an assassin as he zeroes in on Playa and his crew, even at the expense of his marriage and perhaps his sanity.

    The twist here is that ‘Silent Night’ truly is silent: with the exception of a few whispered words from Saya, some police radio transmissions, and the odd radio broadcast, there is no dialogue in the film. Godlock has lost his voice, which somehow means that no one else can speak either. With film being, of course, a visual medium, the idea of a dialogue-free scenario is an intriguing one – if it makes sense in terms of the plot. It’s not very long before ‘Silent Night’ strains our belief and its own narrative with all sorts of contortions to avoid having people speak, down to Saya texting her husband from the kitchen as he sits brooding next door in the garage – in full sight of his wife.

    Catalina Sandino as Saya in 'Silent Night.'
    Catalina Sandino as Saya in ‘Silent Night.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.

    Speaking of poor Saya, she’s lost a child too but Godlock and the film don’t acknowledge that, and Moreno is quickly shuffled off stage left halfway through the picture. We don’t know how Scott ‘Kid Cudi’ Mescudi feels about his detective character, Dennis Vassel, also being reduced to a barely visible supporting player for most of the movie, only to emerge as a seemingly important character in the last 10 minutes. Like everyone else, he doesn’t speak, which makes his scenes even more irrelevant to the proceedings.

    Most of the movie’s running time is devoted to Joel Kinnaman’s Godlock, and the good news is that the actor is fully committed to showing us his pain, grief, shock, and fury through his physicality. And he gets to indulge that physicality in several excellent action sequences, including that opening chase, a brutal fight between Kinnaman and a gang member he takes hostage in his kitchen, and another wild car chase featuring the striking image of first thick rivulets of blood, then a dead man’s face, slowly sliding down a windshield like melting crimson ice.

    It’s what comes between all that that’s the problem. The revenge narrative is so well-worn that we can see right through it, and while we appreciate that it takes Godlock a year to get his act together, the training montage that eats up most of the second act goes on far too long. But Godlock himself is defined by just his rage and grief. There’s nothing else to him: we don’t even know how he supports himself, especially after Saya leaves him. John Woo’s best movies have almost always had two morally conflicted men reluctantly clashing with each other: here, in what is essentially your standard right-wing vigilante fantasy, there are no moral layers. There’s no sense of humor or the absurd either, something Woo also injected into his earlier films: ‘Silent Night’ takes itself dead seriously.

    Scott Mescudi as Vassell in 'Silent Night.'
    Scott Mescudi as Vassell in ‘Silent Night.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.

    The gangbangers fare even worse, with the film playing up just about every racist stereotype about Mexicans that you can think of. It’s borderline indefensible. Equally lame is the film’s apocalyptic vision of a modern city (which is never named, although all the license plates are from Texas). Godlock is able to run a few hundred yards from his pleasant, tree-lined suburban block to a skid row on steroids, making us wonder why the hell he bought there in the first place.

    Woo does execute some great action, with all the explosive mayhem and flying blood we’ve come to expect from him in the past, and Kinnaman is game for all of it. But we have to mention again how silly the lack of dialogue becomes — although a movie like this probably doesn’t miss it that much in the end – and how grave the whole thing is when it surely could have poked fun at itself.

    Joel Kinnaman

    Joel Kinnaman as Godlock in 'Silent Night.'
    Joel Kinnaman as Godlock in ‘Silent Night.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.

    We have to hand it to Joel Kinnaman. The Swedish-American actor has been toiling in Hollywood since 2011, going from the highs of starring as Rick Flag in both ‘Suicide Squad’ movies and leading the acclaimed ‘For All Mankind’ series to the lows of replicating Alex Murphy in the ill-fated ‘RoboCop’ remake.

    Real stardom has eluded Kinnaman to date, and while ‘Silent Night’ probably won’t change that equation, we have to give the actor credit for a painfully intense performance. Brian Godlock isn’t exactly a multi-dimensional character, but Kinnaman goes all-in and convincingly portrays a man following a path of revenge and self-destruction fueled by deep grief – all without saying a single word.

    That’s tough to do, and Kinnaman pulls it off even if he’s not the most charismatic actor around. He also credibly pulls off the action and gunplay, and while a deeper moral conflict and perhaps some humor would be welcome in his work here, that’s more the fault of the writer, and not this watchable actor.

    Related Article: Joel Kinnaman Talks ‘Silent Night’ and Working with Director John Woo

    The Action

    Joel Kinnaman as Godlock in 'Silent Night.'
    Joel Kinnaman as Godlock in ‘Silent Night.’ Photo Credit: Carlos Latapi.

    With classic Hong Kong films like ‘A Better Tomorrow,’ ‘The Killer,’ and ‘Hard Boiled,’ John Woo achieved a balletic, intense, almost poetic approach to violence and gunplay that influenced directors around the world for decades since. His up-close-and-personal trademark imagery of two men shooting at each other with both hands in close quarters has been adopted since by the likes of franchises like the John Wick movies.

    We’re glad to say it shows up here in ‘Silent Night,’ along with his other trademark, the slow-motion action scene, giving this movie some of Woo’s most distinctive touches. He also shoots shattering glass just about better than anyone, making it look like deadly, frozen, crystalline rain. ‘Silent Night’ has several standout sequences: its opening chase with Kinnaman on foot pursuing two gang vehicles, and that fight in a kitchen midway through the movie that is absolutely bone-crunching.

    Some of the later action in the film is more generic in nature – how many times have we seen the hero fight his way up a long, winding staircase through endless hordes of henchmen – but Woo still shoots it in a more intense fashion than many of his stylistic successors. This may not be peak Woo, but it’s still a trip to see the master back in (no pun intended) action again.

    Final Thoughts

    Director John Woo on the set of 'Silent Night.'
    Director John Woo on the set of ‘Silent Night.’ Photo Credit: Carlos Latapi.

    As fans of John Woo’s early Hong Kong classics and several of his previous Hollywood pictures, like ‘Broken Arrow’ and the camp masterpiece ‘Face/Off,’ we were looking forward to seeing ‘Silent Night.’ We also appreciate the presence and commitment of Joel Kinnaman, a hard-working actor if not quite a movie star. But while we enjoyed some of Woo’s distinctive tricks and visceral approach to action and violence, the movie’s cliched storyline and the “no dialogue” novelty act wear out their welcome pretty quickly. The director and his star do the best they can, but both deserve better.

    ‘Silent Night’ receives 5 out of 10 stars.

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    What is the plot of ‘Silent Night’?

    After losing both his son and his voice as a result of gang violence on Christmas Eve, a grief-stricken, fury-fueled father (Joel Kinnaman) prepares to take his revenge on the people who shattered his life.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Silent Night’?

    • Joel Kinnaman (‘The Suicide Squad‘) as Brian Godlock
    • Scott Mescudi (‘X‘) as Detective Vassel
    • Harold Torres (‘Memory‘) as Playa
    • Catalina Sandino Moreno (‘From’) as Saya Godlock
    Joel Kinnaman as Godlock in 'Silent Night.'
    Joel Kinnaman as Godlock in ‘Silent Night.’ Photo Credit: Carlos Latapi.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Silent Night’:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Silent Night’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy John Woo Movies On Amazon

     

  • ‘Silent Night’ Interview: Joel Kinnaman

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    Opening in theaters on December 1st is the new holiday action movie ‘Silent Night,’ which stars Joel Kinnaman (‘The Suicide Squad’), was directed by legendary filmmaker John Woo (‘Face/Off’) and features no dialogue.

    Joel Kinnaman stars in 'Silent Night.'
    Joel Kinnaman stars in ‘Silent Night.’

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Joel Kinnaman in-person about his work on ‘Silent Night,’ the challenges of appearing in a movie with no dialogue, his character’s emotional state, why he seeks revenge, and what he learned about action movies from working with master filmmaker John Woo.

    Joel Kinnaman as Godlock in 'Silent Night.'
    Joel Kinnaman as Godlock in ‘Silent Night.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Kinnaman and director John Woo.

    Moviefone: To begin with, the movie has no dialogue. As an actor, did you find that to be a freeing process or was it more demanding because every emotion must be seen through your physical actions?

    Joel Kinnaman: You’ve put the nail on the head there. It was surprisingly demanding. I really did not expect how much more demanding it was. When you have dialogue and you’re telling the story also through your words, you can rely on that in a way. Here when the only modality I must tell the story is through my eyes and the little micro expressions that come in the face that basically are only expressed when your emotions are coming through or when your thoughts get a representation in your face. The only way that they do that is if I’m a hundred percent emotionally engaged and present in each scene. So, it demanded me to do more prep for each scene and for each take. It was much harder to just roll into it. Sometimes you could if the situation demanded, but because this character is in such a state in every scene in this film, it really demanded for me to be there.

    Joel Kinnaman as Godlock in 'Silent Night.'
    Joel Kinnaman as Godlock in ‘Silent Night.’ Photo Credit: Carlos Latapi.

    MF: Can you talk about what your character is going through emotionally at the beginning of the film, suffering the loss of his child and the revenge that ends up consuming him?

    JK: So, this film on its face is a very high octane, fast moving, fast-paced action film. It has a very emotional setup where we dive deep into emotions and I had a fantastic partner in Catalina Moreno, so I was very proud of how deep we got in portraying that. So, it gives the film a big setup. But when it comes to the character and the character’s journey, it’s really a tragedy. It’s a man that loses his son and his son is the light of his life. It’s a love that he’s never felt before. This gets taken away from him and he just loses his connection with love. So, it makes him unable to reconnect with his wife and with his life. The only thing that he can connect to is this obsession of making the people who took this away from him pay. The tragedy is that if you go down that path, like he does, you ultimately lose your humanity.

    Related Article: Watch Chris Messina and Joel Kinnaman in an exclusive clip from ‘The Secrets We Keep’

    Joel Kinnaman and director John Woo on the set of 'Silent Night.'
    (L to R) Joel Kinnaman and director John Woo on the set of ‘Silent Night.’ Photo Credit: Carlos Latapi.

    MF: Finally, you’ve worked on a lot of action projects in the past, but what was it like for you working with director John Woo on this film and what did you learn from him about making action movies?

    JK: When it came to the actual action, I think I learned a lot from a lot of people on set. I had a great stunt coordinator in Jim Churchman and an incredible fight coordinator in Jeremy Marinas, who is going to become one of the new big action directors, I’m sure. But with John, what I really learned was that there’s a lot of levels and I really got to watch a master at work. With this movie, because you remove the dialogue, he doesn’t have to come in and shoot coverage of a scene where you’re filming someone talking or filming someone listen. It freed him up so he could just design one beautiful cinematic shot that tells the story of that scene. So, to get to be part of that and just to see him in action and see how his mind processed what the scene was about, what we wanted to tell into one beautiful shot was really inspiring and I learned a lot about storytelling from him.

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    What is the plot of ‘Silent Night?’

    Brian Godluck (Joel Kinnaman) is a family man who goes into the underworld to avenge his young son’s death on Christmas Eve.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Silent Night?’

    Joel Kinnaman as Godlock in 'Silent Night.'
    Joel Kinnaman as Godlock in ‘Silent Night.’ Photo Credit: Carlos Latapi.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Silent Night’:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Silent Night’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Joel Kinnaman Movies On Amazon

     

  • Samuel L. Jackson Starring in ‘The Beast’

    Samuel L. Jackson at the red carpet premiere of Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion.'
    Samuel L. Jackson at the red carpet premiere of Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion.’

    Perhaps the most famous action thriller about a U.S. President getting tough with terrorists on one of his vehicles is 1997’s Wolfgang Peterson’s ‘Air Force One’, in which Harrison Ford plays James Marshall.

    He’s none too pleased when Gary Oldman’s band of communist rebels take over the plane and hold his family and staff hostage on board, eventually growling one of the most famous lines of action movie dialogue.

    Since then, there have been a few pretenders to the throne (Aaron Eckhart and Morgan Freeman have been Commanders in Chief in peril, but they both had Gerard Butler’s Secret Service tough guy to help out in the ‘..Has Fallen’ movies that launched with 2013’s ‘Olympus Has Fallen’.

    And the same year as that movie, we got Jamie Foxx’s President and Channing Tatum’s cop protecting the former’s place of residence in ‘White House Down’.

    Now, though, ‘The Beast’ promises to deliver Samuel L. Jackson kicking ass as a President, who has to utilize the many facilities of his limo.

    What’s the story of ‘The Beast’?

    Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag in 'Suicide Squad.'
    Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag in ‘Suicide Squad.’

    The real-life limo used to transport the President is famously nicknamed ‘The Beast’ by the Secret Service agents who ride in and maintain it.

    The impenetrable tank is stocked with grenades, shotguns, armor-plating and bullet-and-bomb-proofing.

    When a militia of unidentified hostiles coordinates a coup against the U.S. presidency, the President (Jackson) uncovers the extent of The Beast’s highly classified offensive capabilities.

    Separated from his wife, the President must learn to control The Beast — and the monster inside himself — in order to save his life, the life of Secret Service agent Taft (Joel Kinnaman), and America.

    Related Article: 10 Things We Learned at the ‘Secret Invasion’ Virtual Press Conference

    Who is making ‘The Beast’?

    Director Peter Berg at the world premiere of Netflix's 'Spenser Confidential.'
    Director Peter Berg at the world premiere of Netflix’s ‘Spenser Confidential.’ Photo: Charley Gallay.

    This one is still in pre-production, and other casting has yet to be announced. But we do know that James Madigan, who has segued from a career in visual effects to second unit director on movies such as ‘The Meg’ and ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’, will direct this one from Umair Aleem’s script.

    And Peter Berg, no stranger to action movies himself, will be one of the producers.

    Since the film is not yet associated with a studio (it’ll be offered to distributors as a package deal at this year’s Toronto International Film Market), it has a waiver with performers’ union SAG-AFTRA to shoot this year.

    Interestingly, it marks the second time Jackson has played the role, since he was the Leader of the Free World in 2014’s ‘Big Game’ in which a teenager helps him survive in a forest after baddies shoot down Air Force One. Could it be the same president? Probably not, but it would be fun to watch Jackson get frustrated about his ride being compromised again.

    For Marvel fans, it’ll be a chance to see Jackson getting tough in a tricked-out vehicle again after Nick Fury took on some enemies in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’. Hopefully he won’t have to deal with a metal-armed, defrosted assassin this time…

    Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Des Willie. © 2023 MARVEL.

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  • ‘The Suicide Squad’ review: grisly, funny, & one of Gunn’s best

    ‘The Suicide Squad’ review: grisly, funny, & one of Gunn’s best

    (L to R) Margot Robbie, Daniela Melchior, Idris Elba, Sylvester Stallone, and David Dastmalchian in 'The Suicide Squad'
    (L to R) Margot Robbie, Daniela Melchior, Idris Elba, Sylvester Stallone, and David Dastmalchian in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    ‘The Suicide Squad’ begins with our introduction to Savant (Michael Rooker), a criminal behind bars, with a talent for geometry and a mean streak when it comes to birds. He’s given the set-up for the story; he’s going to go on a black ops-type mission with a team of fellow convicts, and in return, ten years will get knocked off his prison sentence. This is explained to him by one Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), who also informs him that if he tries to escape, or ditch the operation, or double-cross her in any way, she’ll detonate the tiny bomb in his head.

    So if you never saw the 2016 ‘Suicide Squad,’ you’re pretty much caught up at this point – Waller uses incarcerated super villains for spy missions, and she’s not really concerned if they make it back alive. If you did see the previous film, you’ll recognize some returning faces, like military liaison Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), and the inimitable Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), who says she’s back in the joint for “road rage… in a bank.” Savant and the rest of Task Force X are off to the (fictional) South American island nation of Corto Maltese to destroy a science lab called Jötunheim.

    James Gunn wrote and directed this latest entry in the DCEU, and he brings his own impressive stamp to the movie. I think it’s fair to say that Gunn’s ‘The Suicide Squad’ is closer to his films ‘Slither’ and ‘Super’ than it is to either of his Guardians of the Galaxy outings. Given the R-rating in play, it probably won’t be surprising to learn that this is a particularly grisly comic-book movie with more than a few risqué (if now downright dirty) jokes. But it is surprising how much emotion Gunn brings into this story.

    Being that this takes place in a comic-book world, the characters personalities are as extreme as their powers. Idris Elba’s Bloodshot is a violent mercenary who thinks the best parenting advice he can give his recently-arrested daughter is to make sure she has a lookout the next time she steals something. John Cena’s Peacemaker is a jingoistic meathead who will happily kill (among other things) to make peace. Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn is… well, you’d have to have been living in a cave for the past few years not to know who she is. And King Shark (voiced by Sylvester Stallone) is simply the bestest boy.

    As expected, some of these characters don’t get along, and the rivalry between Bloodshot and Peacemaker is particularly well served by Elba’s tired sighs and Cena’s gung-ho cluelessness. But some of the other characters ground the movie with unexpected empathy. Daniela Melchior’s Ratcatcher at first seems like she’s in over her head, but she’s the first to show she’s willing to reach out to others in the group, and Melchior makes us believe it. And David Dastmalchian’s Polka-Dot Man is… I’ll put it this way; Polka-Dot Man is a terrible comic book character. He’s down there with Crazy Quilt, Clock King, and Condiment King in the DC Villains Hall of Lame. But between Gunn’s script and Dastmalchian’s pathos, Polka-Dot Man becomes a tragic figure (albeit a crazy one). At the same time, Gunn and Margot Robbie show us the continuing evolution of Harley Quinn, showing us that she’s learned from (some of) her mistakes, but she’s willing to make entirely new ones, too.

    Team movies can be tough, especially when team members have superpowers. But the movie doesn’t get bogged down in origin stories; at most, Davis’ Waller might give a rote description of someone’s role on the team, but not much more than that. She gives us the sense we’ll learn about what someone can do when we need to, and in that, she’s doing what Gunn does as a director. And it works. That lets him deftly balance the various character arcs, and make sure that they’re all relevant to the main story at hand. And you’d never think this movie is 132 minutes long; Gunn capitalizes on the abundance of characters to keep the story moving around, but never so much that we lose track of the overall plot. Henry Braham’s cinematography helps give us a sense of place, both in his long shots of pitched battles and giant monsters, or the mobile camera work in a nightclub and on rooftops.

    Ultimately, this is a great example of a director being given the freedom to bring their own style to a big-budget production. The cast is clearly having a good time making this movie, and that energy is infectious. I, for one, would watch another mission from this crew if Gunn is in charge again.

    4.5 stars out of 5.

    ‘The Suicide Squad’ is now in theaters and on HBO Max.

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  • Learn Who’s Who in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    Learn Who’s Who in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    David Dastmalchian, John Cena, Idris Elba, and Daniela Melchior in 'The Suicide Squad'
    David Dastmalchian, John Cena, Idris Elba, and Daniela Melchior in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    James Gunn (of Guardians of the Galaxy fame) brings his high-stakes DC epic, ‘The Suicide Squad,’ to the big screen. Although we’ll see a handful of characters return from the 2016 ‘Suicide Squad,’ there are quite a few new faces. Don’t worry if you don’t know every new character that Gunn is bringing in, where here to introduce them all to you.

    Harley Quinn

    Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn in 'The Suicide Squad'
    Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    Real Name: Harleen Quinzel
    Played By: Margot Robbie
    First Appearance: Batman the Animated Series
    One of the returning characters from the original film, Harley Quinn (psychologist Doctor Harleen Quinzel) was once the Joker’s girl, helping him to break out of prison and become his clown partner of crime. But Harley grew to realize the Joker’s love wasn’t love, but abuse, and ran away to become her own anti-hero, more recently getting her own film as well. Harley uses a multitude of weapons but is well-known for her mallet and use of multiple firearms. Her outfit in the film seems to be taking inspiration from the Batman Arkham games, a nice callback.

    Bloodsport

    Idris Elba as Bloodsport in 'The Suicide Squad'
    Idris Elba as Bloodsport in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    Real Name: Robert DuBois
    Played By: Idris Elba
    First Appearance: Superman Vol. 2 #4
    This is not Bloodsport’s first live-action appearance, that honor goes to ‘Supergirl’ on The CW. In the comics, DuBois was an ex-soldier who, after seeing his brother come home mortally wounded, took up contract killing to fight against those he claimed ‘had freedom’ when they didn’t. TIt doesn’t look like the film is using all of that backstory, but if the trailer is anything to go by, it is using the story where he had gone toe-to-toe with Superman (and has even gotten the upper hand!) The big question is, since he’s worked for Lex Luthor in the past, will that be mentioned?

    Rick Flag

    Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag in 'The Suicide Squad'
    Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    Real Name: Anthony Miller.
    Played By: Joel Kinnaman
    First Appearance: The Brave and the Bold #25
    Another returning character (and actor!) from the original film, Rick Flag is as “government agent” as a character can get. Brought in by Amanda Waller to lead tThe Suicide Squad, he’s the team’s field commander and accompanies them on every mission, to make sure they stay in line. In the comics, he comes from a long line of military men, and maybe with the film diving deeper into comic book territory, we may see this come up? While he has no superpowers, his military history and firearms expertise makes him a very well-trained member of the team.

    Peacemaker

    John Cena as Peacemaker in 'The Suicide Squad'
    John Cena as Peacemaker in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    Real Name: Christopher Smith
    Played By: John Cena
    First Appearance: Fightin’ 5 #40
    One of the oldest characters on this list, Peacemaker originated in the 60s. A diplomat willing to get peace no matter what, Smith is willing to take down as many lives as possible to do so. Though it’s doubtful the film will use the ‘is haunted by the spirit of his father’ plotline, it seems to be taking the ‘peace at all cost’ very close to heart. Peacemaker is also the only character getting his own HBO Max show down the line.

    Amanda Waller

    Viola Davis as Amanda Waller in 'The Suicide Squad'
    Viola Davis as Amanda Waller in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    Real Name: Amanda Blake
    Played By: Viola Davis
    First Appearance: Legends #1
    Another returning character from ‘Suicide Squad,’ Amanda Waller is most likely the most well-traveled as well. Appearing in TV shows, games and other films, she is the head of the Suicide Squad, and chooses whether they live or die at the touch of a button. In the comics storylines, she’s been given the nickname of “The Wall” in reference to how steadfast she is. She revived the Suicide Squad from files found she came across while working, and if she has a “super power,” it’s that she holds the lives of the squad in her hands.

    King Shark

    Sylvester Stallone voices King Shark in 'The Suicide Squad'
    Sylvester Stallone voices King Shark in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    Real Name: Nanaue
    Played By: Sylvester Stallone
    First Appearance: Superboy #0
    One of two animal members of this Suicide Squad, but this isn’t his first on-screen appearance (he’s shown up in ‘The Flash’ and the animated Harley Quinn series). King Shark is the son of the king of sharks and a human mother. (Ahh, comics…) And he’s exactly what he sounds like; a shark. He has a history of eating people, capturing swimmers, etc. We wouldn’t be surprised if Superboy, his nemesis, is mentioned in the film, as Shark plays a big role in Superboy’s story.

    Polka-Dot Man

    David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man in 'The Suicide Squad'
    David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    Real Name: Abner Krill
    Played By: David Dastmalchian
    First Appearance: Detective Comics #300
    One of the more outlandish members of the Squad (and that’s saying something with a team member like Weasel), Krill was a crook who, after witnessing Batman doing his crime-fighting thing, decided to just go around Gotham doing crime with polka-dots. (I swear that was it, no other reason was necessary.) His polka-dots get used for multiple purposes, and there have been hints that there is a biological component to powers of this version of the character.. Krill has never been a member of the Squad (save for an ‘Injustice 2’ prequel comic) so it’ll be interesting to see what he did that was so terrible that brings him with everyone else.

    Sol Soria

    Alice Braga as Sol Soria in 'The Suicide Squad'
    Alice Braga as Sol Soria in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    Real Name: Sol Soria
    Played By: Alice Braga
    First Appearance: The Suicide Squad
    Little is known about Braga’s character, because she hasn’t seemed to appear in any comics, and her debut is this movie. What we do know is she hails from the (fictional) country of Corto Maltese, and is the head of the country’s resistance group. The country has appeared in the comics as a place where metahumans are tested on and created. It’s possible she could be related to Juan Soria, a comic character who shares the same last name as Sol, a member of the Squad with cybernetic enhancements.

    Savant

    Michael Rooker as Savant in 'The Suicide Squad'
    Michael Rooker as Savant in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    Real Name: Brian Durlin
    Played By: Michael Rooker
    First Appearance: Birds of Prey #56
    A villain turned bad, all because Batman told him he shouldn’t do vigilante work, Savant is as smart as they come… but he might forget that due to his forgetfulness. Being a character that’s teetered on the line of villain and vigilante, it is unknown if the film will delve into his background with the Birds of Prey, and his partner/boyfriend Creote. It appears Rooker might be playing an older version of Savant, so maybe we see Creote in a flashback, perhaps? For us, the audience, but not Savant, who wouldn’t remember them in the first place!

    T.D.K.

    Nathan Fillion as T.D.K. in 'The Suicide Squad'
    Nathan Fillion as T.D.K. in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    Real Name: Cory Pitzner
    Played By: Nathan Fillion
    First Appearance: The Suicide Squad
    Little is known about T.D.K as he is a creation specifically from the mind of James Gunn himself, so if that tells you anything… All we do know is that he’s a metahuman who can detach his arms and legs, while having the ability to control them telepathically, and we’ve recently learned the initials T.D.K. stand for The Detachable Kid. Gunn has gone on record saying T.D.K “is from a Saturday morning cartoon,” which doesn’t speak highly of his abilities in the type of movie Gunn makes. Fillion himself has said his character is more annoying than a threat as well, so we can just take them for their word!

    Captain Boomerang

    Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang in 'The Suicide Squad'
    Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    Real Name: George “Digger” Harkness
    Played By: Jai Courtney
    First Appearance: The Flash #117
    The final returning character (and actor0 from the original film, Boomer started off as a Flash villain, and has appeared in both movies and the Flash TV series. Born in Australia, he grew up being very good at carving boomerangs and using them as weapons. He’s the other character in the movie (next to Harley) that’s been featured outside of the film universe on both TV and in video games, and the character will star alongside Harley in an upcoming Suicide Squad game.

    Blackguard

    Pete Davidson as Blackguard in 'The Suicide Squad'
    Pete Davidson as Blackguard in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    Real Name: Richard Hertz
    Played By: Pete Davidson
    First Appearance: Booster Gold #1
    Little is known about Blackguard’s comic book origins, other than he was hired by a group called ‘The 1,000’ and outfitted by them as well. His known powers are, interestingly, ergokinesis (the ability to manipulate energy) and use of multiple gadgets. We don’t know if the film will go into his metahuman abilities, but he is one of the characters to have a major costume change. We also don’t know if they will dive into his Booster Gold connection (which would mean Booster’s introduction into the DCEU). But Gunn could very well add that kind of surprise.

    Weasel

    Sean Gunn plays Weasel in 'The Suicide Squad'
    Sean Gunn plays Weasel in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    Real Name: John Monroe
    Played By: Sean Gunn
    First Appearance: The Fury of Firestorm #35
    There’s a fun story about Weasel. In the movie, he looks like as an actual… weasel-like creature. But in the comic, he’s an actual man! Monroe was a student in the 1960s who was nicknamed ‘weasel’ by his peers as they bullied him. By day, he’s a college professor. By night, he’s a murderer, dressing in a costume (most likely where Gunn’s portrayal comes from) and calling himsef ‘Weasel’. We still don’t know how Gunn will justify making him an actual animal, but the DC’s “metahuman” concept will probably play a part.

    The Thinker

    Peter Capaldi as Thinker in 'The Suicide Squad'
    Peter Capaldi as The Thinker in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    Real Name: Clifford DeVoe (we think)
    Played By: Peter Capaldi
    First Appearance: All-Flash #12
    Again, like Weasel, we got a fun one. While most characters have been given their comic-connected names and villainious monikers, we do not know which version of Thinker that Capaldi is playing. So for clarity’s sake, I’ll be going into the DeVoe version, as he has also appeared in The Flash TV show. A failed lawyer, DeVoe used his smarts to be the brains behind many small-time thugs. He was able to use his smarts as a weapon, literally, with the help of his ‘thinker cap.’ which clearly plays a role in the film. Now we just have to see if Gunn will use Thinker as a master manipulator, too…

    Javelin

    Flula Borg as Javelin in 'The Suicide Squad'
    Flula Borg as Javelin in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    Real Name: Gunter Braun
    Played By: Flula Borg
    First Appearance: Green Lantern #173
    Javelin doesn’t seem to have a first name in the comics, so we’re using the name Gunn gives him in the film. While he’s not a metahuman, Braun is a talented Olympian! A former member of the German Olympic team, he turned to a life of crime, but it’s not clear why. The only ‘superpower’ he has? He’s incredibly good with javelin-based weapons. As seen in the film’s featurettes, Braun sees himself as the best-looking in the room and might be one of the most stuck-up members of the squad. Let’s hope that saves him!

    Mongal

    Mayling Ng as Mongal in 'The Suicide Squad'
    Mayling Ng as Mongal in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    Real Name: Mongal
    Played By: Mayling Ng
    First Appearance: Showcase ‘95
    The only otherworldly member of the squad seen so far, Mongal is the daughter of DC villain Mongul, born and raised on the planet Debstam IV. She’s taken on Superman, and was later killed by her own brother. She has superhuman strength and resiliance, and a long history of fighting to the death. But will that be enough to keep her alive?

    Ratcatcher (2)

    Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher in 'The Suicide Squad'
    Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher in ‘The Suicide Squad’

    Real Name: Cleo Cazo
    Played By: Daniela Melchior
    First Appearance: The Suicide Squad
    Last but not least, we have Ratcatcher. A new character to the DC canon, Cazo is the daughter of the original Ratcatcher, and like her father, controls rats using a device that puts them under her influence. Gunn has said that Cazo is the “heart of the film” and even describes her as being “completely out of her element” but goes ahead and tries to make friends with everyone around her. It should be interesting to see how she plays off everyone else, and how everyone else plays off her and her rats.

    ‘The Suicide Squad‘ will be in theaters on August 6.
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  • Watch Chris Messina and Joel Kinnaman in an exclusive clip from ‘The Secrets We Keep’

    Watch Chris Messina and Joel Kinnaman in an exclusive clip from ‘The Secrets We Keep’

    In this exclusive clip, Lewis (Chris Messina) tries to get answers from a captive Thomas (Joel Kinnaman). Why has Thomas been kidnapped? Here’s what the official synopsis has to say:

    In post-WWII America, a woman (Noomi Rapace), rebuilding her life in the suburbs with her husband (Chris Messina), kidnaps her neighbor (Joel Kinnaman) and seeks vengeance for the heinous war crimes she believes he committed against her.

    If that sounds intriguing, we also have Made in Hollywood’s exclusive interview with Rapace, Kinnaman, Messina, and co-star Amy Seimetz talking about creating their characters and going into dark places to serve the movie’s themes:

    ‘The Secrets We Keep’ is now showing in theaters, and will be available on VOD on October 16.

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  • Joel Kinnaman Hints He’s Returning to ‘Suicide Squad’ as Rick Flag

    Joel Kinnaman Hints He’s Returning to ‘Suicide Squad’ as Rick Flag

    Warner Bros.

    Another member of the old “Suicide Squad” is signing up for the new one.

    Joel Kinnaman, who played Rick Flag in the 2016 villains team-up, is seemingly reprising his role in James Gunn’s upcoming reboot/sequel.

    On Instagram, Kinnaman posted a photo of himself at a gun range next to bags of bullets.  “Easing into that squad preppppp,” he wrote in the caption.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/ByAyrCDCyke/?utm_source=ig_embed

    While that isn’t official confirmation, Kinnaman’s sly use of the word “squad” and his location at a gun range hint heavily that he’s returning as Rick Flag, the leader of Task Force X, the team of criminals assembled by the government to save the world.

    Kinnaman is just the latest 2016 “Suicide Squad” member to sign on for Gunn’s new take. Also returning are Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller.

    New faces joining the team include Idris Elba (not replacing Will Smith as Deadshot, though), Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher, David Dastmalchian as as Polka-Dot Man, and possibly John Cena. 

    The new “Suicide Squad” opens in theaters August 6, 2021.

  • First Teaser for ‘Hanna’ TV Show Starts With a Babynapping

    First Teaser for ‘Hanna’ TV Show Starts With a Babynapping

    Amazon

    In the first teaser for the TV series “Hanna,” an ordinary looking baby is mysteriously snatched from the hospital.

    Of course, we know that’s no ordinary baby. As we learned in the movie that preceded it, Hanna was genetically engineered to be a killing machine. Will that killer instinct manifest as early as infancy?

    Saoirse Ronan played the teenage assassin in the 2011 film, who was raised (and trained) in the Finnish wilderness by her father (Eric Bana).

    In the TV series, Joel Kinnaman will take over the Bana role. His rival will be his former “The Killing” costar, Mireille Enos, who’ll play spy Marissa Wiegler (originally played by Cate Blanchett.)

    It seems likely we’ll see Hanna at various ages, but the actress playing the title character is 18-year-old Esme Creed-Miles of “Dark River.” Her mom, by the way, “Minority Report” star Samantha Morton and Charlie Creed-Miles of “Peaky Blinders.”

    Like the film, the TV series will also be set in Eastern Europe.  It premieres in March on Amazon Prime.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp6myRLnhAs&feature=youtu.be

    [Via IndieWire]