Die Hard 2 Director Believes Not Even Hollywood’s Most Treasured Action Icon Sylvester Stallone Could Outshine Jackie Chan: “He is in his own class”
The sequel to the critically acclaimed action thriller film Die Hard, which was directed by John McTiernan, Die Hard 2 was directed by Renny Harlin who has worked with Jackie Chan as well; was one of the most well-liked films of the 1990s. Even now, the franchise’s fans smile broadly as they recall it with a hint of nostalgia.
Bruce Willis appeared in Renny Harlin’s Die Hard 2 or Die Harder, which also starred Bonnie Bedelia, William Sadler, Art Evans, William Atherton, Franco Nero, and other actors. Walter Wager Characters by Roderick Thorp based the film on 58 Minutes. Although both critics and viewers praised the movie’s action and tone, the plot of the film received criticism from critics. The director explains in an interview his experience of working in China and with Jackie Chan compared to working in America.
Renny Harlin praises Jackie Chan; calls him ‘his own class’
Director Renny Harlin got the opportunity to work with actor Jackie Chan in his 2016 Hong Kong- Chinese-American buddy cop action movie Skiptrace, which was produced and based on the story by Chan, who also starred in it alongside actors Johnny Knoxville and Fan Bingbing.
During an interview with Slash Film, the director was asked about his experience of working with Chan as he had worked with Sylvester Stallone in 1993’s Cliffhanger and 2001’ Driven, to which the director said, “Jackie is in his class”. The director couldn’t stop praising the actor and added,
“He has the energy of 10 guys and the ideas of 50 guys. He’s the kind of guy who is super involved in the movie, comes to the set first guy in the morning, last guy to leave, participates in everything and is just the hardest worker. He’s part of the process and he loves it. He loves making movies more than anything in the world. He’s always in a great mood with great energy and ready to try anything. Also, I must say, he was super respectful of me as a director.”
Read this: Hidden Strike: New John Cena Movie Set Photos Reveal the Long Lost Playful Side of Jackie Chan
Renny Harlin shares his experience of filming in China
The acclaimed director, during the interview at the time, had mentioned that what he had observed while filming in China, is interesting and scary and that nothing is impossible there. He explained that the actor would show up on set with elaborate ideas and would ask for his input and, even if Harlin loved the idea, he would explain to the actor that they do not have breakaway chairs and breakaway walls and props and things.
Harlin noted that he was the only American guy working on the movie with 400 people in the crew who were Chinese and by the time they filmed something else, 30 guys would work on the props needed for the action sequence. He said in China people can improvise the script, come up with ideas and the required props would be ready, adding that it was one of the great things he learned from the actor.
The director explained, “It’s kind of the same when they say they can build a high-rise building in two weeks here. If they put their heart into it, they can make anything happen. That was a huge revelation for me coming from American filmmaking where, for something like that, you would have at least 10 meetings, 10 weeks of prep and planning and building and getting ready.”
Renny Harlin on finding a perfect scene to showcase Jackie Chan’s singing talent
During the interview, the Die Hard 2 director mentioned that he had no idea Jackie Chan could not only sing but draw up to 25,000 people to a stadium very easily and he just wanted to use that for the movie.
Harlin shared that when they were in Mongolia at the time, he loved the atmosphere so much that he desired to create a perfect east meets west meet Mongolia meets rest of the world kind of scene. He then asked people in Mongolia about their favorite song, which was Adele’s Rolling in the Deep.
The director then asked Chan to sing the song along with the crowd who knew the lyrics and he noted that the scene became an icon as the audience loved the Western pop culture reference and he could feel how art and music just unite everyone, no matter where they live or what culture they follow.
Source: Slash Films
