The Rock goes on a Rampage in new film
MOVIE: Rampage
STARRING: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Dwayne Johnson, Jake Lacy
RATING: M
VIDEO game adaptations have had mixed success on the big screen.
Action and comedy heavyweight Dwayne Johnson is throwing his star power behind the latest one: Rampage.
The sci-fi film – about a rogue experiment which turns three animals into giant, raging creatures – is loosely based on the video game series of the same name by Midway Games.
Johnson plays a primatologist, who must team up with a genetic engineer to secure an antidote for albino gorilla George, who has been in his care since birth.
Q: How does “big meets bigger” define this movie?
A: Rampage is a big movie – big in scale, big in action and big in heart. It’s epic in every way. We have not just a gigantic, amazing albino gorilla, we have a super-sized mutated grey wolf and a massive crocodile. We destroy a major city. So, what fans can count on is big, intense action that really pushes the envelope and creates a non-stop ride of fun and chaos.
Q: You’ve done big action films before, but your co-star Naomie Harris is less experienced in this realm. Did you give her any advice?
A: Naomie has serious dramatic chops, as we all saw with her performance in Moonlight. But she’s also a badass who has guts. This was her first big action film with scenes of epic calamity and destruction, and she put a lot of trust in me when we filmed those scenes. It was incredibly impressive how she stepped on to the set and said, “I am throwing caution to the wind, bringing my experience to this film, even though I have never been in a helicopter that has crashed or been chased by enormous mutated animals. I’m just going to go for it.” And she went for it.
On her first day on set, Naomie was thrown into a big action scene. The city of Chicago is going down. We were in a helicopter, rotating downward from the top of the tower. It involved a lot of destruction and we’re plummeting. There were a lot of marks she had to look at, plus green screen and a lot of, well, all those things that come with making this type of movie. And Naomie did it all. She was amazing. By day three, she was a master at the action. Just like that. Naomie did a tremendous job with the role of Kate, who’s the glue that holds it all together in the story – much like the women in my life hold it
Photos: Warner Bros.
all together for me.
Q: What was it like working opposite performance capture artist Jason Liles, who portrays George, an albino gorilla and best friend to your character, Davis?
A: I’ve seen performance capture in films and incredible work from people like Andy Serkis. But to actually experience it with Jason in Rampage was invaluable. He breathes life not only into George, but into everybody’s performance. Jason really immersed himself in studying the habits, emotions, vocalisations and personalities of gorillas. He’s two metres tall and would get down on all fours and walk and run like a gorilla. It was amazing to watch, and Jason embodies the emotions, spirit and energy of the animal. He gives a spectacular performance.
Q: Your dog, Hobbs, was an inspiration for the emotional connection Davis makes with George. How did that come into play?
A: One of the anchors in the movie, amid all the action and destruction, is the bond between Davis and George. I based a lot of that on the relationship I have with my little Frenchie bulldog Hobbs, aka Bruce Wee. I’ve been an animal lover since childhood, and have had pets since I can remember, but my interplay with Hobbs is special. It’s very rough and tumble, and we have a great time together – like Davis has with George.
It’s important to me to balance the film’s action with heart. With San Andreas, the heart came from my character protecting his family. In Rampage, it’s about Davis saving his best friend George. That emotional connection makes the film more special.
Q: This is your third collaboration with director Brad Peyton. How has your working relationship evolved over the years?
A: I really enjoy working with Brad. He’s a real guy’s guy from a small, working-class town in Canada, and he’s all about the work and making sure it’s as good as it can be. We don’t leave until we get the shot he needs. On Rampage, our motto was ‘How is this going to be different?’ and he always figured out a way to make a scene or moment different from anything we’ve done before.
Brad loves movies, especially big movies like Jurassic Park and the Indiana Jones films, and those inform his sensibilities. He preps like a champion athletic coach. Everything is painstakingly detailed. The devil lies in the details and so does success.
Rampage is in cinemas today.