Summary
The action film genre has been heavily male-dominated, with female action heroes unfortunately in short supply. One movie that hopes to change that isTrigger Warning,the latest fromJohn Wickproduction company Thunder Road Films.Trigger Warningstars Jessica Alba as a highly trained Special Forces officer who fights against corruption in her hometown. It is also directed by Mouly Surya and produced by Esther Hornstein and Erica Lee. ActorAnthony Michael Hall, who playsTrigger Warning’scentral villain Senator Ezekial Swann, loved being part of this female-led film and spoke highly of the women involved both on screen and behind the scenes.
In an interview with Game Rant, Hall discussed how much he enjoyed working with Jessica Alba, especially the fact that her extensive action film experience allowed her to give helpful advice and suggestions for other actors duringTrigger Warning’smajor action sequences. He also explained that his respect for Mouly Surya and her previous work was what ultimately resulted in his involvement in theNetflixfilm. Hall had nothing but praise for the many talented women he was surrounded with during the production ofTrigger Warning.
Jessica Alba “Kicked Ass” As The Film’s Protagonist Parker
InTrigger Warning,Jessica Albaplays Parker, a Special Forces officer who returns to the town where her father once owned a bar. There, she finds that the town is overrun by a violent gang and thoroughly controlled by the power-hungry Senator Swann. Ultimately, Parker comes in conflict with Swann and his two sons, Jesse and Elvis, leading to a series of action sequences in which, Hall revealed, “Jessica kicks everybody’s ass.”
Hall loved working with Alba, who used her years of experience in action films such asSin Cityand theMachetefranchise to help and support her co-stars inTrigger Warning.Talking about working with Alba on set, Hall said:
“She’s really talented. She really knows her stuff. It was almost like having another stunt coordinator on set. She was really sharp, and on top of things, and had suggestions for all of us guys on set, so it was fun shooting some action scenes.”
Hall Praises Mouly Surya And The Female-Led Creative Team
Hall initially became involved inTrigger Warningfollowing a conversation with the film’s director, Mouly Surya. He was previously a fan of Surya’s work, particularly the 2017 thrillerMarlina the Murderer in Four Acts,aWestern-inspired filmabout a woman who takes revenge against robbers and protects a pregnant woman from her jealous husband. Speaking about Surya’s skill as a director, Hall had nothing but good things to say:
“[Surya] just has a fresh perspective, and is a very humble and sweet, kind lady. But what an excellent filmmaker! She’s got great instincts as a director. She would give us great adjustments, and always had great notes”
Other women on theTrigger Warningteam whose work Hall praised included producers Esther Hornstein and Erica Lee and cinematographer Zoe White, who previously worked onThe Handmaid’s Taletelevision show. Hall revealed that he enjoyed watching White and Surya work together on set, feeling that they had a fascinating director-cinematographer dynamic.Trigger Warningwas one of the first times in his lengthy career that the actor worked with both a female director and female cinematographer, something he was very excited to be a part of.
Trigger Warningis available to watch exclusively on Netflix. Hall will also be appearing in the upcoming third series of the Amazon seriesReacher,and recently finished a stint on another Amazon production,Bosch: Legacy.He also has a number of future projects in the works, including moving from acting into directing, partly inspired by his work with Surya onTrigger Warning.
Netflix
Netflix is one of the most popular and widely viewed streaming services in the world. Beginning with its mail order DVD service, Netflix has since grown into an entertainment juggernaut, with original shows and movies including Squid Game, Stranger Things, The Irishman, and The Killer.
