Andy Serkis Reveals How SAS: Red Notice Is More Than Just Die Hard In A Tunnel - Exclusive
SAS: Red Notice, which recently made its streaming debut, is a wild and intense ride. It's a treat for those who love frenetically paced action movies, and others who dig a psychological thriller. It engages with the latter genre subtly, encouraging the viewer to study each character to grasp their respective psychopathic tendencies. The plentiful action sequences are, by their very nature, less subtle — from hand-to-hand brawls to weapon-intensive battles. It's a satisfying blend.
Actor Andy Serkis stars as George Clements, a special forces agent who heads to the Channel Tunnel when mercenaries sabotage a train ride from England to Paris, taking all passengers and crew hostage. The passengers' list includes Tom Buckingham, played by Sam Heughan, who is one of Clements' special operators when he's not taking some vacation days. The movie finds Tom off-duty and headed to France on a romantic excursion with his girlfriend.
Serkis was sold on the gig right away. "I've been directing quite a bit, and I read this script and found it really engaging and cool," he explained to Looper. "It's a rollicking, rollercoaster ride — like Die Hard in the Channel Tunnel." He knows the plot of that classic Bruce Willis action movie is different from the plot of SAS: Red Notice, obviously, but to him, there is a similar vibe and some familiar aspects. "It's an entertaining piece. It's got it all. It has a romance to it. It's an enjoyable movie with a geopolitical underpinning."
Serkis on what gave the movie sincerity
This movie is one that Andy Serkis said can be "enjoyed on different levels," given its mix of heady mystery and high-voltage action, and that it did require him to engage in a bit of training. "I'm fairly fit and keep myself tuned up for work," the actor said, "but I did have to engage in some preparation. I didn't spend as much time as the other guys who had to do a lot of the physical jumping through windows type of stuff, but I did some physical training and a little bit of weapons training."
All of what the actors did beforehand to get ready for their roles led to what Serkis deemed an "authentic" movie as the end product. "All of the war stuff comes straight from the horse's mouth," he added, referring to writer Andy McNab, a former special forces officer who wrote the book SAS: Red Notice is based on. "All of the gunplay and weapon-related action in the movie is done meticulously." It's McNab's experience that really lends an authenticity to the project that separates SAS: Red Notice from other action films of its kind.
Andy Serkis' next big role is Alfred Pennyworth in The Batman, scheduled for a 2022 release. Currently, SAS: Red Notice is available on all of your favorite paid streaming services.