During the subsequent filming, a large amount of action scenes began to unfold, with Matthew excelling in his strongest suit. Whether it was gunfight scenes or hand-to-hand combat, he always seemed at ease. In contrast, Charlize Theron encountered quite a few difficulties, despite undergoing a month of professional training prior to filming, she couldn't handle the scenes as effortlessly as Matthew.
However, like Matthew, Charlize Theron also refrained from using stunt doubles for most of the action scenes, performing all the stunts herself. Her broad shoulders and long legs, unlike those of the more delicate and slim actresses, lent a convincing force to the action scenes.
After shooting the opening scenes set in Colombia, the production moved to another studio, which had been set up as a home square for the filming of the final battle scene in the script.
In this studio, the sound of gunfire became the norm.
Matthew was well-suited for this kind of shooting, not only because of his persistent training over the years in combat and firearms, which had gradually brought him close to a professional level, but also because of the action choreography in the crew, which had a strong flavor of Hong Kong-style gunfights.
For Hong Kong-style gunfights, Matthew, who had watched countless films like "A Better Tomorrow" and "The Killer", was extremely familiar.
Although he had missed the golden era of Hong Kong films in video halls, the impact of many classic Hong Kong films on those who love film and entertainment in that region is hard for North Americans to imagine.
This film's action design was inspired by Hong Kong-style gunfights, as Doug Liman himself had told Matthew.
During the initial preparations, when discussing the roles and the script, Doug Liman had mentioned that the action scenes in Hong Kong-style gunfights were incredibly elegant and romantic, often not resembling a life-and-death duel at all. Sometimes, the outcome was decided in the gaps between playing football, sleeping, or even eating.
To balance the marriage and identities of the couple in the story, Doug Liman specially arranged for their combat to be like a romantic dance, emitting a mesmerizing romantic aura with traditional dance music. The unconventional fighting perfectly reflected the tense opposition between the two characters.
Undoubtedly, American action films tend to be more realistic, while Hong Kong action films are heavily colored with romanticism.
A typical example is John Woo, whose Hong Kong-style action films, even those made in Hollywood like "Face/Off", are filled with romanticism.
For example, Nicolas Cage in "Face/Off" perfectly embodies a quintessentially American take on the classic Hong Kong protagonist.
The influence of Hong Kong action films on Hollywood action cinema is profound, as Matthew could see after several years in Hollywood. The simple, brute, and somewhat clumsy traditional Hollywood action film has almost vanished from mainstream commercial cinema.
More Hollywood action films, like Doug Liman's "Mr. & Mrs. Smith", incorporate excellent elements from Hong Kong action films to serve their own narratives.
Frankly, these films or people can only imitate the surface, but this is sufficient for Hollywood.
Mainstream commercial films in Hollywood are very adept at incorporating the strengths of films from other regions into their own, yet they never completely transform into those regional films.
For Matthew, the most typical example of this was Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill", which at first glance seems to mimic old-style Hong Kong martial arts films, but still features the unmistakable touch of Tarantino.
"Mr. & Mrs. Smith" was no exception. Its emulation of Hong Kong-style gunfight action was merely superficial.
After all, Doug Liman, the director who had made "The Bourne Identity", was not just going to imitate. The core of the film was what he had previously discussed with Matthew—a story about a married couple and their family.
Every scene shot in the home square setting highlighted this point, even if the lead characters verbally sparred fiercely. In the action choreography, whenever one was in danger, the other would invariably risk their life to save them.
Bang—Bang—Bang—
The sound of gunfire continued in the studio. Charlize Theron, clutching her arm, fell to the ground as gunfire grew more intense, and pillows on the shelves above her head burst open, scattering white goose feathers everywhere.
With powerful kicks against the floor, Charlize Theron fired back while scrambling behind another shelf, looking quite disheveled.
Suddenly, the roaring of an engine sounded as Matthew drove a quad bike through a door behind Charlize Theron. Holding the handle with one hand and firing an MP5 with the other, he shot down the attackers targeting Charlize Theron, who fell one by one.
"Get on!" he shouted to Charlize Theron.
With no enemy fire to suppress her, Charlize Theron quickly got up and rushed to the back seat of the bike, grabbing the automatic rifle Matthew was carrying on his back and firing wildly at the
newly arriving enemies.
At the same time, the actors playing armed assassins also returned fire, but Matthew shielded Charlize Theron with his body.
The quad bike sped through aisles filled with home furnishings, stopping precisely in front of the main camera as planned.
"Cut!" Director Doug Liman called to stop the shooting, very satisfied, "OK! This action scene is good!"
Unlike other directors, Doug Liman did not delegate the action scenes to a choreographer but directed them himself.
Like Matthew's aptitude for action scenes, Doug Liman was also skilled in filming them.
The day's work concluded, Matthew removed his slightly deformed tea-colored sunglasses and handed them to an assistant. Rolling up the sleeves of his white shirt, he noted a minor bruise on his arm from hitting a nightstand in the previous scene, but it was not a serious issue.
The Warner Bros. studio was filled with furniture and home goods.
Matthew was well aware that setting the final battle scene in such a venue was also in line with the film's internal settings discussed by director Doug Liman and screenwriter Simon Westeros.
Doug Liman believed that it wasn't just his and Charlize Theron's performances that could support the dramatic relationship of the Smith couple. The objects around them also needed to carry some symbolism, making the home square an ideal setting for this domestic battle.
After a day's shooting, Matthew received the latest filming schedule from Doug Liman and briefly reviewed it before planning to join Charlize Theron in the makeup room to remove their makeup. Their private makeup rooms were adjacent, and they usually left together after shooting.
However, today Charlize Theron left without saying goodbye. As Matthew exited the set and turned into the hallway where the makeup rooms were located, he saw her with Stuart Townsend, recalling that Stuart Townsend had come to visit Charlize Theron that afternoon.
He watched their retreating figures and hastened his pace to catch up.
"Hi, Sally!" Matthew called out.
Charlize Theron immediately stopped and turned around, with Stuart Townsend also stopping and turning back.
Matthew waved to them and walked up, greeting Stuart Townsend first, "Hello, Townsend, long time no see."
Stuart Townsend's cold face squeezed out a polite smile in response, "Hello."
Matthew didn't greet Charlize Theron; their familiarity made formalities unnecessary.
"What's up?" Charlize Theron asked.
"This is the revised shooting schedule." Knowing that Charlize Theron hadn't received it, Matthew handed her the document. "There have been many adjustments; you should take a look."
Charlize Theron took it, "Alright, I was planning to get it after removing my makeup." She smiled, "I'll go do that now."
Matthew nodded slightly, "Yeah, I'm heading to remove mine too."
Charlize Theron beckoned Stuart Townsend to accompany her to the makeup room, while Matthew walked beside her, discussing work-related matters, particularly the interplay and coordination between their performances.
The training from the initial preparations, combined with the recent shooting, had gradually fostered a rapport between Matthew and Charlize Theron, much like the reborn protagonists in the script.
Soon reaching their makeup rooms, Matthew casually waved to Charlize Theron, then politely bid farewell to Stuart Townsend before entering his own room.
The makeup artist had been waiting and quickly helped Matthew remove his foundation.
After dismissing the makeup artist, Matthew was about to head to the changing room when Helen Herman called. She informed him that Disney Studios had sent a letter to Angel Management that day, requesting Matthew attend one of several teen award ceremonies planned for the end of July and early August, to help promote the upcoming sequel to "Pirates of the Caribbean."
Combining the "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" shooting schedule with an invitation from a girl at the Wells Gallery, Matthew and Helen Herman briefly discussed it and decided he would attend the Young Hollywood Awards ceremony.
This fit well as the ceremony days coincided with scenes focusing on Charlize Theron, requiring less of the male lead.
Helen Herman would coordinate his schedule with the production team, so Matthew didn't need to worry too much.
After hanging up, Matthew changed back into his clothes, packed up, and prepared to leave the studio. Just as he reached the door, he heard a burst of arguing from Charlize Theron's makeup room next door.
___________________
(Support with power stones, comments or reviews)
If you guys enjoy this story, In support me on Patreon and get access to +200 advance Chapters
Read Ahead
Patreon.com/INNIT