An in-depth exclusive conversation with director GRANT S. JOHNSON delving into the intrigue of bringing the AGENT GAME to life.
Thanks to GRANT S. JOHNSON’s methodical and exacting execution, AGENT GAME is a riveting thriller of cat and mouse with the anticipation and tension of a chess game with constant checks in play. Pawns fall, knights fall, and the queens keep moving, but someone is protecting the king in the castle. Exciting, tense. AGENT GAME leaves you wanting more. Very much a “pay attention” movie thanks to a non-linear timeline which serves to build the intrigue and keep us on our toes until the very last frame. And then you’ll find yourself wanting a sequel – NOW!
SYNOPSIS: “In this riveting spy thriller, no one is safe. Harris, a CIA interrogator at an Agency black site, finds himself the target of a rendition operation after being scapegoated for an interrogation gone horribly wrong. As the team tasked to bring Harris in begins to question their orders — and each other —Olsen, a senior intelligence officer, and his subordinate, Visser, raise the stakes. Now, it’s up to Harris and some newfound allies to uncover the truth and turn the tables.”
Directed by GRANT S. JOHNSON with script by Tyler Konney and Mike Langer, AGENT GAME stars Mel Gibson, Dermot Mulroney, Jason Isaacs, Katie Cassidy, Adan Canto, Rhys Coiro, Annie Ilonzeh, and Barkhad Abdi.
A visual filmmaker, Grant discusses all the moving parts of AGENT GAME, divulging some of his “secrets” in bringing the story the screen, starting with the story itself and developing a visual structure to support the non-linear style of storytelling so that it creates mystery and intrigue as we try to figure out who is playing whom, working with editor Charlie Porter and cinematographer David Kruta to develop a metaphoric and visual grammar that captures the cloak and dagger feeling of the film while allowing Porter to deliver a pace that is crisp and taut while building tension with every move, impeccable casting and what each player brings to the table, use of color and character color assignment, atmospheric scoring, the melding of scoring and visual motifs in crafting juxtaposition, action set pieces, lessons learned with this production, most notably how striving for pure cinema with visuals lessens the necessity of dialogue, and so much more.
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive interview March 25, 2022
