Face/Off director John Woo is set to return with his newest American action film Silent Night starring The Suicide Squad alumnus Joel Kinnaman. From the title itself, the film will not produce any single word. The movie’s synopsis tells about a father who goes to the underworld to avenge the death of his son.
Capstone’s Ruzanna Kegeyan and Joe Gatta will oversee the project, while John Wick’s Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Christian Mercuri, and Lori Tilkin will produce the movie. Kinnaman is no stranger to intense action scenes, with projects like Robocop and Safe House included in his film credits.
John Woo’s Silent Night Will Feature A Vengeful Father Starring Joel Kinnaman
In an exclusive interview with Collider, Joel Kinnaman shares his experience working with Hong Kong director John Woo. He called him “no ordinary filmmaker”:
“Pretty epic. I’ve never worked with a director… I mean, maybe Jonathan Demme who did a bunch of episodes on The Killing. He was up there. But I’ve never worked with anyone that tells so much story just by how he moves the camera. And it was fascinating to see. He tells the story in the way where he puts the camera, how he moves it.”
The script is treated differently in Woo’s movie, counting on the authenticity of the emotion and suspense of the drama rather than the dialogue. Kinnaman will play a vengeful father attempting to get justice for his poor son’s death. The actor also spoke about the film’s script:
“It was the perfect kind of script to try this sort of cinematic experiment. It’s a very dynamic action movie with a lot of heavy drama, but the actual plot is pretty simple. And I think you really want that in a film where you don’t have any dialogue to explain to the viewers what’s happening. So I think it’s going to be pretty easy to follow.”
For many, acting in a film with no dialogue sounds easy-peasy, but it is actually tougher than it looks. Kinnaman added:
“Some people thought like, ‘Oh, that’s easy. You don’t have to learn any lines’, but it’s not, because the eyes don’t lie. It’s actually a lot harder to portray everything that you just have to have that kind of inner life and that inner motor and those thought processes going for real. You just can’t hide. So, I think it’s very revealing when there’s no dialogue.”
The actor found the role quite challenging, and he also extended his gratitude toward Woo who chose him to star in the project.
Silent Night Marks John Woo’s Return To Hollywood
John Woo is one of the most prolific filmmakers in the industry. His works have been praised for their unique storylines and his keen eye for detail. Woo started his career in the 1970s with movies such as The Young Dragons, The Dragon Tamers, and The Hand of Death.
He proved his talent in the Hollywood arena when he directed American action films like Hard Target, Broken Arrow, Face/Off, and Mission: Impossible 2.
Silent Night will also feature Scott Mescudi (a.k.a. Kid Cudi), Harold Torres, and Catalina Sandino Moreno. Producer Erica Lee reveals that the official trailer will come out “by the summer.”
Source: Collider
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