Appearing in "In the Hero"

Not too long ago, I had a chance to attend a private screening for a film I did in February called “In the Hero”. The film was a big-budget joint Korea-Japan feature, co-written by writers from both countries, with actors from both countries, with involvement from both Toei and Toho studios. (Two of the biggest in Japan). While I have done films of this scale before (the one before that was ATARU, and that seemed to be of about the same magnitude), after watching this, I can honestly say this was the best film (American or Japanese) I have been in to date. 

The story revolves around two characters: a young, up and coming Japanese idol-type actor who aspires to make it to Hollywood, and an aging Power Ranger style suit actor/stunt man, and the relationship that develops between them when their paths intersect. 

At the private screening of In the Hero at Toho studios

The coolest set I've ever done a fight scene on.

In the film, I play an American actor whom the young Japanese actor has to audition against, and eventually do a fight scene with. No speaking lines for me in this one, but this was my first time getting to do fight scenes with a spear, and a Japanese weapon called the Naginata. At the audition, they actually asked me if I had done sword action before (which I have) and then had me audition with that. And then when I showed up for the rehearsal, they simply handed me a spear instead. Thankfully, having studied Kobudo, I already had a basic idea of how to use a Bo, so I had a long-range weapons base that I could adapt to that made it doable. If not, it might have been quite a challenge.

Overall, it went fairly well, except that the opportunity came along while I was still in the recovery stages for my left knee, and much like the Super Smash Bros and Let it Die live action demos I did after that, it was too good of an opportunity to pass up, so I just did it anyway. Learning the choreography was fine and presented no problems, except that on the first day of the first fight, the choreo was changed by the directors request… and it meant taking a punishing fall on the very knee I was trying to protect. Unfortunately, this also meant doing it over and over again take after take, as each one hurt, and I couldn’t quite “do it right”. That was a painful day… and the next shoot was only 4 days away on top of it. In any event, I got through it (as you must if you expect to get anywhere in this industry), and although I had to wear a brace, the second fight was totally fine. Unfortunately, as is always the case with action scenes, most of both fights was cut out in editing, but what of it that did make it past the editors looked pretty good. 

As for the rest of the film, it was beautifully shot, really well written and set, and acted well. The film actually only had two weak spots: 1) While all of the major actors did a fantastic job with their characters, 2 of the supporting actors were weak and 2) The English of some of the Korean and Japanese actors was pretty weak at times as well. Those two facts aside however, it was simply a great film, and my wife, (whom I brought with me to the screening) cried 3 or 4 times during the film. Definitely a good sign that the quality of film content coming out of Japan is getting better and better.

While flying back to the states last night, I had a chance to see ATARU on the plane ride over, and I can only hope that this one shows internationally as well. Not because I expect to get famous for it (or even have anyone remember me)... but just because it is a great film about what actors and stunt people go through, and I think it’s a story that deserves to be told.