INTERVIEW: Using one’s superhuman strength to find revenge in ‘Kill Order’
Kill Order, the new action film from writer-director James Mark, finds a high school student seeking revenge on a group of armed men who are wreaking havoc in the community. Throughout the film, which will be released on video on demand, digital HD and DVD Feb. 6, the fine skills of martial arts are employed.
Chris Mark (Suicide Squad) plays the main character, David, a shy young man with superhuman strength. It’s up to him to utilize these skills to fight off the marauding mob of bad men.
Recently, Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with James Mark about his new movie. He is known for his stunt work on TV’s Dark Matter, Killjoys, Marco Polo and Lost Girl. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What inspired the story behind Kill Order?
I’ve been a stunt performer for 14 years and have a local martial arts team here in Toronto. I wanted to create a film that showcased the abilities of my stunt team and my brother, Chris Mark, who plays David, so I built the narrative around a concept that would serve them best.
How difficult was it to stage the martial arts in the film?
Fortunately my team and I have a great synergy and have been working together for many years. It was quite time consuming to create the action, and the majority of our effort was spent here. However, it was the most comfortable part of the process as this is our normal trade.
What was it like to work with actor Chris Mark?
Overall working with Chris was great. He works hard, and when he commits to an idea, he dedicates himself until completion. At times things can get emotional as a result of being siblings, and normal disagreements come with history. But, all in all, we want the same things and have a very close relationship, therefore enabling us to work smoothly.
Who were some of your cinematic influences growing up?
I would have to say Jackie Chan. I’m a huge fan of his work and what he has done with his career. Also James Cameron — Aliens is still one of my favorite films of all time.
When did you start thinking of film as a career choice? Did it come earlier or later in life?
It came later. I started working as live stage entertainer, performing acrobatic martial arts with a group called Team Ryouko and later Team 2X for many years. After this, I began working as a stunt performer for Hollywood films, and this is where my interest began to grow.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Kill Order, written and directed by James Mark, will be released on video on demand, digital HD and DVD Feb. 6. Click here for more information.
Photo: Kill Order is the brainchild of writer-director James Mark. Photo courtesy of KWPR, on behalf of Kill Order.
