For our final look at the cast of Steven Soderbergh’s Punch Hard with a Vengeance action thriller Haywire we turn to the man with a rather special beard, Antonio Banderas.

Banderas is one of the many men in the film who betray CIA operative Mallory Kane, played by MMA star Gina Carano, and this means it’s only a matter of time before he’s on the business end of a face pummeling.

Craig reviewed the film and liked it a lot, and if you take a look at the last five days there’s clearly fun to be had here so if you fancy it high you to a cinema as the film is out right now.

All this week we’re bringing you a series of short video introductions to the cast of Haywire, Steven Soderbergh’s latest film which sees Gina Carano as a betrayed government operative on the run, pausing only to kick arse without even bothering to take names.

The film was out in the UK yesterday and Craig reviewed the film for us here. He liked it, which is nice.

Today we show favour to Mr. Channing Tatum, who will be reuniting with Soderbergh for stripperama Magic Mike, and if you’ve seen any of the trailers or extended clips from Haywire you’ll know how he fares in fisticuffs with Carano’s rogue agent.

Here’s your video,

Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire is out in UK cinemas today and all this week we’re running short clips introducing the various members of the cast.

Front and centre today is Gina Carano, the MMA fighter Soderbergh chose to lead his face-punching revenge thriller, and she’s in good company with Michaels Fassbender and Douglas, Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum and Antonio Banderas all joining in with the fun.

Craig reviewed the film for us here, and he highlighted Carano’s performance, not least the action sequences, which her training would naturally lend herself to, but also in the more nuanced moments of the film.

Here’s the video,

All this week we’re taking a look at the cast of Steven Soderbergh’s new action flick Haywire and it’s the turn of Perth’s finest son Ewan McGregor to step up and avoid a beating.

Gina Carano enjoys a leading role in Soderbergh’s film which centres around her rogue government operative who is being hunted after all manner of assassin stuff goes wrong.*

McGregor plays Kenneth, an unassuming name for a man who trains hired professional killers, and this short video places him right in the line of Carano’s fire when he betrays her.

If you want to know what all the fuss is about, check out Craig’s review on the site here. Haywire is released on the 18th of January.

Here’s your video.

*not official plot synopsis, but it’ll serve.

This week Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire thrusts itself into UK cinemas and every day we’ll be focusing on one of the characters in the film to get you up to speed with who is hitting who.

Soderbergh has, naturally, attracted a formidable cast for the film with newcomer Gina Carano leading his tale of a covert government operative who turns rogue when she finds out her ex-employers are cleaning up their activities and hunting her.

Today’s video focuses on Michael Fassbender, who has a short and violent relationship with Carano – the video does have spoilers but it’s worth a watch just to see Fassbender and Carano get tangled up in a hotel room.

Craig’s review is on the site here, and you can see the video below. Haywire is released on the 18th of January.

You may choose to see the first five minutes of Steven Soderbergh’s latest film with the other eighty-eight when the film is released on the 18th of January but those of you who want to see Gina Carano pummeling Channing Tatum early – this is the video for you.

Craig gave the film an excellent review on the site and he highlighted the scene comprised of Carano and Michael Fassbender in a hotel room which has been shown in many of the trailers and the opening five minutes shown here have a similar feel with the impact of the action greatly enhanced by the soundtrack choices made.

Hulu had this video,

Into a quiet diner walks Mallory Kane (Gina Carano). Following shortly behind her is Aaron (Channing Tatum). Mallory is quick to see him arrive and we get the impression instantly that Mallory is a hyper alert character, Carano conveying this through small physical inflections. Aaron and Mallory clearly have history and as the two begin to talk it is clear that Aaron wants her to leave with him but Mallory’s not interested. The situation quickly escalates beyond this almost light hearted argument into the two having a full blown physical fight.

The fight is brutal, faces are pounded and bones crunch, but it’s also beautifully choreographed, expertly performed and shot and edited with the utmost skill and scalpel-like precision. Using a number of different set-ups Soderbergh, editing the film under one of his usual aliases, cuts between them with enough speed to ensure the sequence is dynamic but slow enough to ensure one’s eyes take in all the necessary information.

The scene is something of a masterclass in the way in which action can be shot and edited, and it doesn’t hurt that Carano, the star of the scene and the film, is an accomplished MMA fighter.

Mallory is a covert operative employed by an agency whose client book includes the US government. The agency frequently carry out jobs that the government would rather not get their hands dirty doing themselves and Mallory quickly comes to the government’s attention. Prior to their confrontation in the diner Aaron and Mallory worked together on a hostage rescue in Barcelona, work that their handler Kenneth (Ewan McGregor) won from US government employer Coblenz (Michael Douglas). Since the mission a lot has changed though, Mallory has ‘gone rogue’ and her former employers are hot on her heels. Following her escape from Aaron, Mallory steals a car, taking its owner Scott (Michael Angarano) hostage. She then begins to tell Scott all the details that led her to where she is now and the film shifts into a series of flashbacks that make up the bulk of the film.

The script, penned by Lem Dobbs (The Limey), is economical enough to ensure that the film, which is at its heart a fast-paced action thriller, never gets bogged down in overly complex plotting but it’s also intricate enough to keep one interested and invested in what is transpiring. Various puzzle pieces slowly fall into place and as the full picture is revealed there are twists and turns but no huge surprises. As we gradually learn what has occurred though we are slowly pulled closer and closer to Mallory’s character, investing more in her plight as we do so.

Carano’s performance as Mallory, her first major role, is highly commendable and whilst she brings all that is needed to the stunning action sequences it is in some of the more subtle moments that she really impresses. A cracked smile or quizzical eyebrow at the right moment is enough to communicate everything we need to know and feel and the film is filled with silent communicative moments that work extraordinarily well both on a character and story level.

Carano is also surrounded by a number of excellent actors in supporting roles, including, in addition to those already mention;  Bill Paxton, Antonio Banderas, Mathieu Kassovitz and the ever reliable Michael Fassbender.

The fight in a hotel room between Carano and Fassbender, which has been at the centre of the film’s marketing, is truly extraordinary and a high point amidst a number of excellent physical sequences. Their relationship, two spies thrown together and made to play at being a couple, makes for some interesting and playful interplay between the two but there is more going on beneath the surface. Haywire is filled with subtle genre twists, evidence that Dobbs and Soderbergh are having fun subverting expectations somewhat, and the way in which the film’s script deals with the gender of the lead character is also more densely interesting than it may first appear.

When Kenneth (McGregor) comments “Don’t think of her as a woman, that would be a mistake.” the dialogue is making explicit an area for discussion that runs throughout Haywire. Carano is, for instance, as forceful beating Aaron to the ground as she is when she pulls him towards her and kisses him in a flashback to Barcelona. She’s in charge and dominant.
Mallory is not a simple ass-kicking alpha female though, a common archetype that is so often just a male stereotype in the skin of a female action hero, and there are crucial moments when her fragility and emotional range is evident. She is hurt at times, both emotionally and physically, revealing a more complex and truer depth to her character. Haywire is not a heavy-handed essay piece though, it’s a super slick action movie which is just thankfully as intelligently thought out as it is entertaining.

Smart, stylish and incredibly well crafted, Haywire is as ludicrously pleasing to the eye as the best of Soderbergh’s recent work and even if you don’t engage with the intriguing thematic subtext the film is a thrilling and riveting action spectacle with plenty of jaw-dropping action set pieces.

Haywire is released in UK cinemas on the 18th of January.

****~ (4/5)

There’s nothing quite like a bit of quality violence to shake the early morning from your bones, and this new trailer for Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire is just the ticket.

In truth this new peek starts out in a similar fashion to the first trailer we saw – people meet, they hit, then all hell breaks loose, but as with most Soderbergh films there’s an excellent cast backing this one this.

Gina Carano leads the film and has Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum and Michael Fassbender along for the ride, and be warned there are some very quick moments in the trailer which do reveal the fates of some.

Eyes down to be hit with a synopsis,

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious—and dangerous—trap. But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes she’ll be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary.

Here’s your trailer,

Today we give thanks to Crave, for ’twas there who gave us this.

Haywire looks splendid. Check out all of the trailers, clips and other content we’ve assembled for you here and then come back and see the latest poster for Steven Soderbergh’s latest offering, which employs genuine ass-kicking MMA star Gina Carano as a betrayed government agent, fighting for her life as all and sundry come for her. As far as we can tell so far, all and sundry get kicked in the head quite a lot.

The latest poster goes for the moody monochrome look, with everyone except Carano going for the glowering, frowning, furrowed, intense look. For my money, Bill Paxton wins the line up, though there are strong entries from Michael Douglas and Antonio Banderas.

Haywire will be punching its way onto screens in the UK on 18th January 2012 and in the US a couple of days later (yay for the UK!). Until then, enjoy the lovely line up below, courtesy of lovely types as IMPA.

One of the highlights of this Summer’s Big Screen event was the screening of a scene from Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire. It featured lead actress Gina Carano and Man of the Year Michael Fassbender going at it after a romantic dinner in a hotel. The difference is that the ‘it’ I mean and the ‘it’ you’re thinking of are very different things.

The scene was very powerful, and did a lot to set up expectations for the film which opens in the UK on the 18th of January. We’ve heard some very good things about it and today we’ve got an exclusive image from the film below.

Haywire stars Channing Tatum​​, Michael Fassbender​​, Ewan McGregor​​, Michael Angarano​​, Antonio Banderas​​, Michael Douglas​​, Gina Carano​​ and Bill Paxton​​.

This dynamic action-thriller directed by Oscar® winner Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) boasts a talented cast that includes Channing Tatum (GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra), Ewan McGregor (The Ghost Writer​​), Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class), Antonio Banderas (The Legend of Zoro), Bill Paxton (“Big Love​​”), Michael Douglas (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), Michael Angarano (Almost Famous​​ ); and introduces mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar Gina Carano as Mallory Kane, in a demanding lead role that has her performing her own high-adrenaline stunts.

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Heading up the gallery below is the exclusive image,

Here’s the first UK poster for Steven Soderbergh’s new movie, Haywire. The movie looks absolutely fabulous in all the trailers we’ve seen and I cannot wait to see it. It hits UK cinemas 12th January so not too long to wait! If you missed the trailer for it, have a little look here and let us know if you’re looking forward to it in the comments below.

Haywire stars Channing Tatum​, Michael Fassbender​, Ewan McGregor​, Michael Angarano​, Antonio Banderas​, Michael Douglas​, Gina Carano​ and Bill Paxton​.

This dynamic action-thriller directed by Oscar® winner Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) boasts a talented cast that includes Channing Tatum (GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra), Ewan McGregor (The Ghost Writer​), Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class), Antonio Banderas (The Legend of Zoro), Bill Paxton (“Big Love​”), Michael Douglas (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), Michael Angarano (Almost Famous​); and introduces mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar Gina Carano as Mallory Kane, in a demanding lead role that has her performing her own high-adrenaline stunts.

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Haywire hits UK cinemas 12th January.

Click the poster to enlarge.

Source: Empire

EW have just released the second trailer for Steve Soderbergh’s new movie, Haywire which is very much one that we cannot wait to see here at HeyUGuys. We’ve seen a clip and another teaser trailer for the movie but this one gives us a lot more.

Haywire stars Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Michael Angarano, Antonio Banderas, Michael Douglas, Gina Carano and Bill Paxton.

This dynamic action-thriller directed by Oscar® winner Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) boasts a talented cast that includes Channing Tatum (GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra), Ewan McGregor (The Ghost Writer), Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class), Antonio Banderas (The Legend of Zoro), Bill Paxton (“Big Love”), Michael Douglas (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), Michael Angarano (Almost Famous); and introduces mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar Gina Carano as Mallory Kane, in a demanding lead role that has her performing her own high-adrenaline stunts.

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious—and dangerous—trap. But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes she’ll be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary.

Haywire hits UK cinemas 12th January.

His latest movie, Contagion, may not even be out here in the UK yet – fear not, though, its 21st October release is imminent – but we must not forget that director Steven Soderbergh is treating us to two films in a very short period of time, and the second of those films, Haywire, is following close on the heels of the first.

We got the new trailer for the film just yesterday, and now comes a brand new poster courtesy of ComingSoon.net.

In case you missed the film’s first poster which came out back in the summer, you can see it here. And you can also see that this new poster is much of the same, but instead chooses to add colour to the cast, and keep the red to the sidelines, rather than go for silhouettes against the blood-red background. Both are excellent posters in their own right, and as much as I like a good silhouette poster, I must admit I’m rather taken with this new version of it in colour.

Haywire has a terrific cast led by real-life Mixed Martial Arts superstar Gina Carano, with a supporting cast that includes Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Bill Paxton, Channing Tatum, Antonio Banderas, and Michael Douglas. A pretty damn awesome cast that Soderbergh’s lined up for himself, right?

“The film tells an electrifying tale of espionage and betrayal, a female covert ops specialist (Carano), who works in the deadly world of international operatives, strikes back after discovering she’s been double-crossed by someone close to her in the agency.”

With talk of Soderbergh’s retirement/hiatus being on the horizon, Haywire could potentially be one of the last times we’ll get to see a Soderbergh film on the big screen for at least a little while, and along with Contagion, it definitely sounds like something worth watching. Haywire will be out a few months after Soderbergh’s virus film, coming to the UK on 20th January next year, a date I’m very much looking forward to. Without further ado, here’s the new poster to enjoy. As usual, click to enlarge.

Momentum have released a new trailer for Steven Soderbergh’s next film which has MMA star Gina Carano lining up Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum and Michael Douglas and then kicking her way to vengence.

This trailer gives a good indication what to expect and we’ve seen the full scene, glimsped in the trailer below, of Gina Carano and Michael Fassbender’s hotel room brawl and it was a powerful and well directed fight scene. If the rest of the film and its action is as good as that then we’re in for something special from Soderbergh.

Here’s a synopsis to get you in the mood,

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious—and dangerous—trap. But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes she’ll be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary.

Here’s your trailer,

Relativity Media have released a couple of new images for their new movie, Haywire which is showing this weekend during Comic-Con which is currently taking place in San Diego. The movie is directed by the awesomely talented Steven Soderbergh and stars Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Michael Angarano, Antonio Banderas, Michael Douglas, Gina Carano and Bill Paxton.

This dynamic action-thriller directed by Oscar® winner Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) boasts a talented cast that includes Channing Tatum (GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra), Ewan McGregor (The Ghost Writer), Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class), Antonio Banderas (The Legend of Zoro), Bill Paxton (“Big Love”), Michael Douglas (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), Michael Angarano (Almost Famous); and introduces mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar Gina Carano as Mallory Kane, in a demanding lead role that has her performing her own high-adrenaline stunts.

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious—and dangerous—trap. But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes she’ll be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary.

Haywire hits UK cinemas 12th January.

Getting the inevitable ‘Bourne Meets Dragon Tattoo’ poster quote out of the way this is a great first look for Steven Soderbergh’s revenge thriller Haywire.

Yesterday we saw the first poster for the film spotted at Comic-Con but this trailer is what will get you excited for the film.

Fancy a synopsis before the head-kicking-in? Why not.

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious—and dangerous—trap. But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes she’ll be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary.

MMA star Gina Carano takes the lead here and looks to have genuine screen presence as well as a fierce physicality that Soderbergh has done well to capture in the shots on offer here. Michael Fassbender looks suave, Ewan McGregor looks pensive and suspicious while Michael Douglas wears a suit and looks powerful.

Who cares how it all fits together, if Len Dobbs has managed to craft a decent story around the bombastic kicking on show here then we’re on to a winner.

Another poster beams its way out of San Diego and while everyone (including us) is talking about director Steven Soderbergh’s other film for 2011, Contagion, there’s a first look at the poster for his revenge thriller Haywire.

Fandango are ahead of the crowd with the reveal of the poster, which looks striking enough and has a cast list only rivalled by Tomas Alfredson’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. An accomplished MMA athlete Gina Carano takes the lead in this film about a government agent who is double crossed and all seven shades of hell break loose.

She is supported by Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas, Michael Angarano, Matthieu Kassovitz, Channing Tatum, Bill Paxton and Antonio Banderas.

Here’s the poster,

Which put me in mind immediately of this poster, reversed:

We first brought you news close on a year ago of Steven Soderbergh’s action film “Haywire”, starring Mixed Martial Arts star Gino Carano as a double-crossed covert agent looking for revenge and trying to protect her family.

Given that the film boasts a cast list including  Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas, Michael Angarano, Matthieu Kassovitz, Channing Tatum, Bill Paxton and Antonio Banderas, it should be great and frankly, if Soderbergh can get the quality of his output back up to Out of Sight/Erin Brockovich/Traffic/Ocean’s Eleven then we might get something truly special.

The production and release schedule on this film seems to have slipped more than a little, presumably due to Soderbergh prioritising his virus outbreak film, Contagion. Busy guy these days, but then who isn’t? For today though, we have a lovely shot of Carano letting off a few rounds with an Uzi, with a seemingly excessive level of muzzle-flash, but then what do I know? Everything I know, I learnt from the movies.

The US release date for Haywire is now January 2012. No news yet on the UK release, though I’d be surprised if it’s far from then.

Collider, have we told you that we appreciate you?

Ellen Mirojnick worked as costume designer on 80s classic Wall Street, as well as last year’s sequel Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. Her work on the film was so successful that she has been nominated in the ‘Excellence In Contemporary Film’ category in this year’s Costume Designers Guild awards.

We were recently given the opportunity to conduct an e-mail interview with Ellen, which we present to you below this featurette from the movie:

———-

HUG: Obviously you worked on the original Wall Street, did you feel like this was a continuation of your job  there?

Ellen Mirojnick: Actually, yes. I felt that the original film opened the door to our perception of finance and  Wall Street . WallStreet Money Never Sleeps closes t­­hat chapter.

HUG: As I understand it, you used the costumes to emphasise character traits, for instance reflecting Gekko’s shark-like personality in his suit. Can you explain how this came about and provide some additional insight?

EM: As the costume designer, I interpret the essence of the story  thru the character’s imagery. This story has Gordon Gekko as an outsider. In this film, there’s a man who has nothing to do with the Street. He takes his time circling the story, sharking, until he finds a way to “feed” until he can. He Gekko’s up, and swims off to other waters.

HUG: Were there any other ways in which costume was used to tell the story?

EM: Costume is always used to tell the story. It is the film’s visual language. It is how we understand the story and the  characters that inhabit the film.

HUG: To the layman, there seems to be much less scope for costume design on a contemporary film like Wall Street than on a period piece or a sci-fi film. How do you put your stamp on a movie where, by the very nature of the characters, they ought all to be wearing Armani suits?

EM: In my opinion, a contemporary film is the most difficult to design. Most people don’t realize what actually goes into the making of it. I have always liked replicating the time and place that we live in. I love creating history. It is the contemporary film that will be the period piece in 20 years! It will be the piece that documents our history. To create a contemporary film, there are many things to take into account. Your first job is to translate the story and the characters .It is the designers decision if the character is best off wearing an Armani suit. Is there another suit that will work better for the film or actor? These types of questions are considered while translating the story with every character in every scene. If the designer’s  answer is found in a ready-to-wear garment or is illustrated and crafted in a costume workroom. The designer’s job is still the same.

HUG: Film making is a collaborative process, how much influence did Mr Stone have on the designs?

EM: Mr Stone, being the writer and director influences and  informs the design of the film. He would continually weigh in on the look and direction of the characters. Our relationship has a long history with support and a solid trust. Given that, he was able to let me freely create the characters, knowing the choices I made and were ultimately going to tell and serve the story he was creating.

HUG: And, how different was working on a film like Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps as opposed to, say GI: Joe or Starship Troopers?

EM: There are no two films that are the same. Creating each world is a process that has different components and design challenges. The differences lie in the translation of the story and the director’s vision.

The best analogy I can share is, you are travelling to 3 different parts of the world. Each country  a new foreign language. You don’t know the language, but have to communicate daily. You wouldn’t have a choice , but to learn how to communicate by learning the language.

——————

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps is out on Blu-ray and DVD from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on 31^st January.  You can order your copy here or rent it here.

Michael Douglas (on that long road to recovery, following his battle with throat cancer) has revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that he’s all fired up and ready to go on his next project.

Around May or June next year, Douglas will begin work on Steven Soderbergh’s long-in-development biopic of famed flamboyant American entertainer and pianist Liberace.

It doesn’t look like he’ll be slowly easing himself back into his work either, as the role will reportedly require special prosthetic work as well as musical training.

Douglas certainly likes a challenge, but he probably feels in safe hands with Soderbergh at the helm. The film will mark their third collaboration, following 2000’s Traffic and the yet to be released action thriller, Haywire.