Summary
Veteran actor Anthony Michael Hall gives a gripping, chilling performance as the power-hungry Senator Ezekiel Swann inTrigger Warning,an action film fromJohn Wickproduction company Thunder Road Films. And standing at his side are two sons who represent the archetypal “Cain and Abel” dynamic from the days of the Bible, loyal and romantic sheriff Jesse (Mark Webber) and rough-and-tumble, quick-to-anger Elvis (Jake Weary.) Hall feels that the Swann family dynamic sits at the heart ofTrigger Warning’sstory, and the characters of his two adult sons helped him make Ezekial Swann a more effective and well-rounded villain in theNetflixmovie.
In a conversation with Game Rant, Hall briefly touched on his own character before eagerly discussing Elvis and Jesse, and how much he enjoyed the family dynamic that the three of them created. He compared the pair to the biblical Cain and Abel, with the hot-tempered Elvis as Cain and the more measured and calm Jesse as Abel. Although Hall was careful to avoid spoilingTrigger Warning,he was excited for fans to see the Swann family on screen, highlighting Jesse’s dynamic with the film’s lead Parker (played byJessica Alba) and Elvis’s unpredictability. Hall also spoke about how becoming a father himself had allowed him to get more in touch with Swann’s relationship with his two sons.
Elvis and Jesse Swann Have Elements of Cain and Abel Respectively
Jesse Swann, the “good son” and a former romantic interest of Alba’s Special Forces agent Parker, serves as the sheriff of the town where Parker returns following the death of her father. Elvis is much more of a loose cannon. Ultimately, however, both men are up to no good, following in the footsteps of their father, Senator Ezekial Swann, who Hall describes as “represent[ing evil in the film” and compares to villains from classic Western films and theMarvel Cinematic Universe.
The roles are played by two really talented actors: Mark Webber and Jake Weary. They play Jesse and Elvis, my sons, who are essentially kind of like a Cain and Abel. One, Mark’s character, as you saw, has this kind of history with Jessica [Alba’s] character. There’s some love and a past there between them. And Jake - who I think is great, he really jumps off the screen - he’s kind of rough and tumble. He’s more of my “Raising Cain.” My Cain son.
Senator Ezekial Swann is not the only onscreen father Anthony Michael Hall has played recently. He also joins the cast of Amazon’sReacherfor its third season, where he plays the unscrupulous Zachary Beck. Beck, too, has a son, and Hall describes their relationship as a complicated one. “There’s a very interesting sort of father-son dynamic which unfurls in the season,” Hall revealed. His son, Richard Beck, is played by Johnny Berchtold, and the character’s attempted kidnapping kicks off the events ofReacherSeason 3.
Hall recently became the father to now one-year-old Michael Anthony Hall II, his first child. When asked if becoming a father helped him better portray fathers in film and television, Hall felt that it did. “I now know the joy of parenthood,” he explained. “Despite the middle of the night wake-ups, and the dirty diapers, honestly, it all pales to the joy you feel as a parent. It’s such a life-altering and beautiful thing.” He also felt that seeing the world through his son’s “fresh eyes” allowed him to approach acting with a new perspective, and he plans to bring that new perspective to future projects as an actor and perhaps producer and director as well.
Trigger Warningis currently available to watch on Netflix.ReacherSeason 3 will release at an unspecified date in 2025.
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.
