Inside the quiet cinema, a collective gasp suddenly echoed, especially from the male audience members, who stared intently at the big screen, seemingly completely stunned!
When the male lead, Mike, emerged from the police station, he encountered a father and daughter being chased by zombies. The daughter's running style could only be described as breathtaking.
This is a low-level cinematic technique, but it is also an effective tool to attract audiences.
Then, the male lead skillfully took down the pursuing zombies and rescued the father and daughter.
Akiva Goldsman glanced at Doug Liman and asked, "How does it feel?"
Doug Liman had just directed "The Bourne Identity," a film highly praised for its action sequences, and thus had a professional judgment on the matter.
"Not bad," Doug Liman said in a low voice. "The editing isn't outstanding; it's just average. This action scene wouldn't have achieved this effect if the actor hadn't performed so well."
Akiva Goldsman nodded slightly. "You mean the actor's performance in this action scene was better than the editing?"
As is well-known, Hollywood action films rely primarily on editing, not on the actors themselves.
"Fifty-fifty, I'd say," Doug Liman said, rubbing his palms. "For most action films, thirty percent relies on the actors and action design, and seventy percent on post-production editing."
Akiva Goldsman understood Doug Liman's meaning and said nothing more. Although his energy in recent years had been focused on award campaigns, and he hadn't really been involved with action films, he had participated in the "Batman Forever" project back then and had some judgment on action scenes.
The male lead's action scenes were outstanding. Apart from being momentarily overshadowed by the female supporting character's astonishingly impactful running, he was the absolute protagonist in all the scenes whenever he appeared on screen.
Moreover, the character's positioning was also brilliant: highly skilled, agile, resolute, yet not lacking in sincerity. He protected numerous disaster survivors and led them into a shopping mall to escape the catastrophe.
With the shopping mall as a small fortress, he then, against all odds, rescued a group of people, including a beautiful nurse, who had escaped from the hospital.
The film's first gunfight scene appeared.
Bang—
The crisp sound of gunfire echoed through the screening hall.
The male lead, holding a gun with both hands, blew a zombie's head off.
Bang— Bang—
More gunshots rang out.
Doug Liman perked up. He had just watched several scenes of the male lead's hand-to-hand combat, and now there was finally a gunfight.
Before attending the premiere, Akiva Goldsman had told him that their main purpose for coming today was to scout actors for their project. Matthew Horner, as an actor, had excellent physical conditions—handsome with a wild temperament. Last year's "Pirates of the Caribbean" was a huge hit, making him a popular second-tier star. Many of his films involved action sequences, making him very suitable for the new film's male lead.
However, he also had reservations. While Matthew Horner's roles in "Band of Brothers" and "Black Hawk Down" were impressive, they were relatively minor supporting roles. The two roles that truly made him famous and demonstrated his appeal were both period pieces, not modern attire.
But seeing Matthew Horner holding a gun and shooting, Doug Liman couldn't help but nod slightly. The male lead's grip on the gun and shooting posture were both very standard. It was evident that the actor's professional caliber was very high, no less than the professional instructor who taught Matt Damon during the filming of "The Bourne Identity."
Having watched more than half of the film, Doug Liman thought the male lead was quite good. Matthew Horner's acting was probably only average, not as good as Matt Damon's, but his gunfights and close-quarters combat action scenes were excellent. Moreover, unlike Matt Damon's action scenes in "The Bourne Identity," which relied eighty percent on post-production and editing, the editing in this film was relatively average, with the action scenes largely supported by the actor's powerful presence and clean, efficient movements.
"How is it?" Akiva Goldsman asked.
Doug Liman replied directly, "Purely in terms of the actor himself, Matthew Horner's control over action scenes is much better than Matt Damon's."
He had basically dismissed his earlier doubts. The film was nearing its end, and Matthew Horner's modern look and modern action scenes were no less impressive than Will Turner in "Pirates of the Caribbean."
Even the dramatic scenes had several memorable moments.
The male lead constantly yearned for his family, but learned from the escapees that the place where his parents and brothers were had become a living hell. He could only entrust this longing to Andy on the opposite rooftop, and their chess game across the void was definitely the most memorable segment of the film.
This was also the most emotional moment in the film. Andy eventually turned into a zombie, and the male lead, Mike, as a brother, tragically blew his head off.
But the chainsaw scene at the end made Doug Liman overturn his previous opinion.
With ammunition and supplies depleted, the male lead, Mike, led the survivors out in modified vehicles. When one of the cars had an accident, he wielded a chainsaw to rescue them, and the flying heads, splattering blood, and scattered severed limbs were simply exhilarating.
A tough male lead, a chainsaw, and a horde of zombies as supporting characters created a bizarrely romantic atmosphere.
A chainsaw... is there anything more romantic than a chainsaw for dealing with zombies? Zombies must love it.
The male lead, Mike, an absolute super tough guy, carved a bloody path through the zombie siege, rescuing the people from that car, but under the zombie onslaught, he was eventually bitten.
As the film drew to a close, the male lead bid farewell to the female lead, choosing to stay behind alone to cover their escape to the island. He then stood beside an oil barrel on the dock, attracting most of the zombies, and shot the oil barrel, causing an explosion that sent flames soaring into the sky.
At this point, Doug Liman's somewhat tense nerves instantly relaxed. He remembered that the director of this film was a newcomer, and there were indeed some areas that weren't handled very well, such as the editing of the action effects. However, he and Matthew Horner together created a three-dimensional and vivid male lead. From a creator's perspective alone, this film could be considered a success.
Finally, the film ended in the hazy glow of a DV camera and the roar of zombies.
They thought they would be safe on the island, but... it was all zombies.
"A male lead who is very difficult to forget," Akiva Goldsman said, watching the credits appear, seemingly to himself. "His modern action scenes are as brilliant as his period ones."
"Indeed," Doug Liman chimed in. "He seems born to play these powerful, wild characters."
Akiva Goldsman immediately recalled several characters: Ronald Speirs in "Band of Brothers," Sergeant Hoot who fought in and out of Somalia in "Black Hawk Down," the untamed Scorpion King in "The Scorpion King," and Will Turner, one of the most outstanding characters in the American film industry last year.
Doug Liman then added, "Did you notice that Matthew Horner also performed well in the dramatic scenes we were concerned about? As the leader of this survivor team, he appropriately displayed that subtle yet impactful leadership quality, even outside of the action scenes."
"Hmm," Akiva Goldsman nodded softly.
As a seasoned screenwriter and producer, he naturally could see that point.
After encountering the three security guards in the supermarket, all their weapons were confiscated, and upon hearing the guards' selfish remarks, most people would be hostile towards them. However, the male lead not only avoided childish mutual hostility with the guards but instead adopted a cooperative attitude, suggesting to the head guard to reinforce the entrances and exits and mark a distress signal on the rooftop.
Moreover, Matthew Horner's tone of voice was spot on. These actions demonstrated that beyond his formidable skills, the male lead also possessed an excellent mind and a calm demeanor.
At the same time, it built a bridge of cooperation and communication between these two hostile groups of people.
Many small details also demonstrated the male lead's cohesion and leadership within the team. For example, when survivors and security guards or anyone else had conflicts, he was the first to step in and mediate. When everyone hesitated about whether to go out and rescue people or whether to charge out, the male lead was the one who made the final decision.
In fact, within the entire team, the only one who truly cared for everyone and wanted to lead them to escape was the male lead.
The female supporting character was big-chested and brainless, completely a vase.
The young black man only cared about his pregnant wife; he didn't care about anyone else, which is why he hid the fact that his wife was bitten.
The female lead was kind, but she lacked the awareness or ability to unite the team; she was a typical naive and sweet character.
The head of security initially only cared about his own survival, but later, influenced by the male lead, he developed a certain sense of self-sacrifice.
As for the other characters, there's even less to say; basically, everyone unconsciously followed the male lead's arrangements for important decisions, plans, and so on.
Overall, the male lead's characteristics in this film—bravery in the face of adversity, caring for others, sincerity, a quick and calm mind, and skill in mediating team disputes—determined his role as the leader of these survivors.
This is also why seeing his ending, when he gives up getting on the boat, feels a bit poignant. If the male lead wasn't such an influential person, would his ending still evoke such emotion?
Doug Liman then spoke again, "I think Matthew Horner can be one of the candidates, and a key one at that."
"Hmm..." Akiva Goldsman mused for a moment and said, "Let's wait for now. We'll wait for this film's box office results. Our auditions aren't until the end of May, so there's no rush."
"Alright," Doug Liman had no objections.
After all, just because he thought the film was good didn't necessarily mean the market reaction would be positive. Whether this type of film succeeds and whether Matthew Horner truly has enough appeal still depends on whether audiences are willing to pay for tickets.
When the film ended, enthusiastic applause erupted in the theater. Akiva Goldsman and Doug Liman specifically went to the front row to find the director and the male lead and offered their congratulations.