Undoubtedly, the “Tyler Rake” films draw their inspiration from action cinema. But director Sam Hargrave has revealed he was influenced by one of science fiction’s greatest films for the second installment.
Barely arrived on Netflix, Tyler Rake 2 is already at the top of the top 10 films, followed by the first part in second position. Those who have already seen it have undoubtedly been amazed by the impressive 21-minute sequence shot in a scene of pure action that pushes the limits of the genre a little further. With in particular a helicopter which lands on a train launched at full speed. A scene made without digital effects.
It is of course the extraction scene, the mission accepted by Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) to get the martyred family of a terrible Georgian gangster out of prison. In addition to being perilous, the mission is very personal for Tyler since it includes the sister of his ex-wife (Olga Kurylenko).
During an interview with our colleagues from filmstart, Sam Hargrave returned to this scene and his way of highlighting the action. And it is on this occasion that he explains that Alfonso Cuarón’s excellent Les Fils de l’homme had a huge influence on him. THE “long shots” of this film are models for the filmmaker because they “really manage to engage the audience in the experience“.
Jasin Boland/Netflix © 2023 Netflix
Two immersive cinematic experiences
Sam Hargrave develops this idea of implication based on The Sons of Men: “For example, if a character is struggling to catch their breath, I feel the same way as a viewer.“
That’s exactly what he wanted to replicate with Tyler Rake 2. Audiences shouldn’t”just watching from a distant vantage point.“He wants” to offer an immersive experience“. It is “take the audience by the scruff of the neck and drag them into the film. They have to be like, ‘Hey, that’s what it’s like to experience these crazy action scenes in real time!‘”
If in these two films, the viewer has the feeling of being “At the heart of the action“, it’s thanks to a mixture of dynamic shots, handheld camera, and long takes without editing, all producing so “incredible intensity that totally immerses you in the story“.
Tyler Rake 2 as The Sons of Men are available on Netflix.