Joe Taslim to Star in New Action Comedy 'Hit N Run'
Jakarta. Action star Joe Taslim, Tatjana Saphira and Jefri Nichol are among big names ready to kick ass in an upcoming action-comedy movie "Hit N Run," slated for a release sometime in the middle of this year.
Directed by Ody C. Harahap, better known as a comedy drama specialist, with a screenplay by Upi, Hit and Run will star Joe Taslim as Tegar, a heroic, skilled and narcissistic cop on a mission to catch some bad guys.
Not much of the plot has been revealed, but Joe has promised a balanced proportion between action and comedy. He also pointed out that compared to neighboring countries like Thailand and South Korea, Indonesia does not produce too many action comedies.
Joe half lamented the fact that most Indonesian action flicks are rated 17+ or 21+ due to their intense violence.
"Our action movies are mostly too gory or too dark so they’re not for everyone. We tried to make an action comedy that teens can watch," he said in a press conference in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Thursday.
Joe said Hit N Run also tries to avoid the tedency to downplay logic and choreography in fight scenes in some action movies in order to deliver the humor.
"The humor should come from the characters, not from some slapsticks. When the action scenes come, there’s no slipping on the floor or such. It will look cool. The characters will really fight for their life," Joe said.
The "Star Trek Beyond" actor promised the film will be fun and the action scenes stylish, with choreography being done by Iko Uwais' Uwais Team, which Joe considers "one of the best [action choreographers] in the world."
A Series of Firsts
The film also marks Joe’s debut as both a creative producer and a lead actor in a box office release. Joe’s previous lead role was in "The Night Comes for Us," which was only released on Netflix.
Actress Tatjana Saphira, who previously starred in the Indonesian remake of Korean comedy "Sweet 20," is a first-timer in action movies. She plays Meisa, a singer with surprisingly nimble fighting skills.
Another actor making his action debut is Chandra Liow, a YouTuber and social media influencer with over 1.6 million followers on Instagram, whose previous silver-screen experience was starring in Raditya Dika and Sunil Soraya’s "Single" (2015).
"I simply jumped at the chance to collaborate with Joe Taslim. He's an inspiring figure for me, and a very accomplished action actor," said Chandra, who plays a villain in the film.
Though Chandra hasn’t had much acting experience, Joe singled him out for a praise because Chandra acted, directed and produced his own YouTube videos.
"He’s not just a content creator. He’s an artist. Others make YouTube videos just to get more subscribers, but Chandra puts serious effort into his videos," Joe said.
"HIt N Run" will also feature seasoned action star Yayan Ruhiyan and newcomer Caitlin North Lewis.
The film will also feature real martial arts athletes, among them David Hendrawan, a wushu gold medalist at the 2016 National Sports Week (PON), Peter Taslim, three-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist in judo and Simone Julia, a jujitsu athlete who competed in the Asian Games last year.
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