[Chapter 253: Handsome and Unreasonable]
The Man from Nowhere wasn't just a pure action movie. It was a drama-action film propelled by emotions and used action scenes to channel the rage. The overall tone was crisp and clean when it came to the kills.
Yuen Woo-ping felt that just having gunfights with a few thugs was too simple and didn't pack enough punch. So, he decided to add some brutal hand-to-hand combat moves -- all designed to finish foes with a single strike -- to highlight the hero's strength.
As filming progressed, Linton began the on-screen takedowns. The fight choreography by Yuen Woo-ping's team was not only sharp but also carried a mesmerizing grace. Paired with Linton's powerful skills, the moves were full of force and impact. The fights were tidy and efficient; kills happened in one blow, and the whole sequence flowed smoothly.
Soon, the floor was littered with gangsters sprawled everywhere. Linton, clad in a sleek Armani black suit, casually wiped the blood off with a handkerchief -- so handsome it was almost unfair.
"Great, the effect is fantastic," Yuen Woo-ping nodded with clear satisfaction.
...
The final climactic battle scene unfolded.
Gang leader Willem Dafoe threw a cup of water containing the freshly removed eyeballs. Linton thought it was little Sam's eyes. His eyes instantly reddened, and he entered an unstoppable killing frenzy.
His unpredictable gunplay wiped out Willem Dafoe's thugs, leaving only the cold, crossed-armed assassin Will Smith standing watch. He positioned himself in front of Linton to cover Willem's escape.
"Come on," Will Smith extended his hand, waving at Linton with an excited grin.
Will was a former U.S. special forces soldier who Willem had recruited. Despite being on the wrong side, compared to Willem and his ruthless brother, Will still carried a shred of humanity and conscience. Mostly, it came from their naturally aggressive and courageous spirit.
In this movie, Will was a killing machine, but considering his physical condition, Yuen Woo-ping didn't choreograph many fight scenes for him.
Yuen Woo-ping designed several key moves: jabs, elbow strikes, flying kicks, all meant to showcase Will's relentless lethality. However, many of these moves were shot separately. Since Will had no professional fighting background, after over a month's training, he could only pose. Smooth fight scenes just weren't possible.
Contrast that to Linton's fighting style -- a blend of hard and soft techniques, flowing like a graceful dancer yet swift as a rabbit.
After three full days of filming, the fight scene finally met Yuen Woo-ping's high standards.
...
"Next time we shoot fights like this, we should not use untrained actors," Yuen Woo-ping grumbled to Linton after wrapping up. "They just can't pull it off."
"What can we do? Hollywood doesn't have many trained action actors," Linton replied.
"Thankfully, I had you this time. Otherwise, all those guys would've tanked my studio's reputation."
"But you're right -- the training was rushed. Next time, action actors must undergo at least three months of intensive training before shooting."
Linton thought the movie's focus was all on himself, with no formidable villain, so Will Smith could get by with flashy moves. But if in the future he wanted to make movies like The Matrix or Mission Impossible, the standards for action actors would definitely be higher.
---
On December 19, exactly a month later, filming wrapped as scheduled, and Linton hosted the customary wrap party.
Actually, a week prior, Pulp Fiction had wrapped up after two and a half months of filming, but Winona had stayed on with Linton's crew to continue enjoying the joy of the gatherings.
As for The Rock, the film was complex with many scenes, Michael Bay's first directorial effort, and expected to take another half month to finish shooting -- nearly 4 months total.
Because little Scarlett was part of the cast, the wrap party was split into two events. The first was a formal dinner with the entire crew; the second was an adult-only carnival party.
After a month together, Scarlett had become Linton's devoted fan, sticking close like a shadow on set.
Seeing Scarlett's picky eating habits, Linton tactfully mentioned to her mother, Ms. Sloane, "Ms. Sloane, I noticed Scarlett has some serious food preferences."
"Yes, it's been that way since she was little. We've tried reminding her, but no luck," Ms. Sloane replied.
"From what I've heard, picky eating that severe in children can affect growth and development, sometimes even height."
"Really? That serious?"
"You might want to check with a doctor."
"Thanks, I'll bring her in right away."
Whether they actually followed through, Linton decided to keep his distance since they weren't close enough for him to pry, but he had done his part as a friend by giving a friendly tip.
...
At the dinner's second half, with the thought of parting from her dear uncle the next day, Scarlett sobbed loudly, clutching Linton's arm. "Uncle, can we meet again?"
"Of course. If you miss me, just have your mom contact Aunt Meena," Ms. Sloan quickly shared contacts with assistant Meena.
"Can I make another movie with you someday?"
"Sure. If a role fits you, I'll have someone let you know."
"Uncle, you're the best!" Scarlett laughed and kissed Linton on the left cheek. "It's a deal, uncle -- you can't back out."
Her natural talent showed -- worthy of an Oscar.
...
After dinner, except for Scarlett and her mother, the crew headed straight to a nightclub the team had reserved for an all-night party.
This party had everything except drugs: fine wine, handsome men, and beautiful women.
Following Hollywood practice, Blake invited 40 models -- 20 men and 20 women. The men were handsome and fit; the women, delicate and stunning -- enough to meet everyone's tastes.
When Sophie Marceau and Winona learned about the party, they asked to join. Dressed to the nines in sexy outfits, they stood closely flanking Linton, never leaving his side, not even giving the female models a chance to make a move.
Seeing the impossibly beautiful Sophie and Winona so close to Linton, and realizing his disinterest, the female models silently cursed them as bitches and left in disappointment to accept other crew members' attention.
...
At that moment, Jonathan and James approached with wine glasses. "Linton, thank you. We learned a lot."
"You're welcome. You two have talent -- I'm optimistic about your filmmaking futures."
"Can we join post-production? We want to learn the full film process."
"No problem. I'll have my assistant inform you soon."
Linton intended to nurture them so they could independently direct the company's films down the line, so he readily agreed.
"Thanks!" They clinked glasses and then each found a female model to join the festivities.
*****
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