Like the team at Mayhem! designed one of the best elevator fight scenes of all time

The year 2024 started with a bang for action fans with the release of Chaos!the excellent new revenge thriller from some of the creators Gangs of London. The film isn’t just an action slugfest – it sets itself apart from many of its competitors with a heartfelt story that doesn’t feel like window dressing. But when it starts, things really get down to business.

spoke to director Lyes is a former national welterweight kickboxing champion in France Chaos! lets him deliver a groundbreaking performance. Meanwhile, Gens and Poyer’s experiences continue gangs of London, Combined with the wealth of knowledge that martial arts film fanatic Poyer brings to the project, they help the action sequences feel fresh and energetic.

But in times of COVID-19, it wasn’t easy to attract so many talented people to a film. It required a huge amount of preparation that had to be done by several different teams around the world.

While Gens shot drama sequences or scouted locations in Thailand, Poyer (based in England) worked with the action team on pre-visualization and choreography. The pre-viz (a technique in which versions of the action sequences are filmed in a gym or studio to create a sort of live-action storyboard) would be sent to Gens and, after his seal of approval, would go to French stunt coordinator Olivier Sat. He then taught Lyes the choreography and rehearsed with him in France.

“This was essentially a pandemic experience with a lot of remote work,” Poyer says. “Although it was quite a different experience, when we all arrived in Thailand in early 2022 we had a very clear idea of ​​what we needed to do with these sequences.”

Image: IFC Films

All the preparation work was worth it. When a lead actor fell ill just before filming a crucial scene, the team shot additional scenes without interruption because each department knew exactly what was required of them.

“Our pre-visor is not a barrier band. It says: “These are the recordings,” says Poyer. “You’ll make small adjustments depending on performance, rhythm or the realities of the day, but it’s very specific, shot-by-shot motivated camerawork, motivated camera movement and editing.”

The sequence that best illustrates the effectiveness of this meticulous approach is a frantic hallway-to-elevator fight sequence Chaos!‘s third act. Vengeful protagonist Samir (Lyes) fights his way through a hallway full of villains with the help of a friend, then heads to a crowded elevator for more action.

The fights are connected and flow directly into one another, but they couldn’t be more different. In the hallway, Samir and his many opponents have room to move, dodge blows, and deliver big, devastating blows. In the elevator, the narrow space completely changes the dynamics and choreography and even becomes a deadly weapon itself. Poyer and Gens appropriately ramp up the gore levels in this section of the film, heightening the sense of danger as Samir fights for his life.

Image: IFC Films

“I want the audience to feel like this guy who just beat up 15 people could easily die,” Poyer says. “It’s about a change in tone and a change in mood.”

In addition to Lyes’ outstanding performance and the brutal choreography, Chaos!The use of limited space helps differentiate it from other elevator fight scenes. That’s because Poyer and his team refused to cheat the tight space – they used a realistically sized elevator and only removed a wall once to make room for the camera.

“We’ve probably all seen elevator fights where the elevator feels like you could flip a car in it,” Poyer says. “But it wasn’t like we built a bigger set to make it easier for the stunt performers and the camera to all dance around each other. I wanted that claustrophobic feeling. I wanted it to sometimes feel like the camera movement was a little behind the action. Like it’s playing catch-up because I like fights that feel like fights.”

Part of Poyer’s process is to view the sequences as real battles, which helps them feel true to life. He will put himself in the protagonist’s shoes, surround himself with stunt performers ready to “attack” and ask his employees what tricks he could use to get out of this situation.

“We shoot down each other’s ideas, we interrogate them and try to find the path that is most credible,” he says. “I wouldn’t say what we’re doing is realistic, but I want it to be believable.”

“Sometimes when you watch action movies you think: [scoffs] Oh yes, one against 100says Lyes. “NO.”

When you put all of that preparation, expertise and talent together, you have an outstanding action sequence that will be inducted into the Fight Scene Hall of Fame – but also a damn difficult task that Lyes had to accomplish. During the four days he shot the sequence, he spent a lot of time in a small room that he estimated was up to 45 degrees Celsius, trying to master every move of the detailed choreography.

“I was like, Oh my god, I’m literally faintingsays Lyes. “But to me, this is one of the greatest elevator action scenes ever filmed. So no regrets. And if I had to do it again, I would 100% do it.”

Chaos! can be seen in select cinemas or can be rented or purchased digitally on Amazon, Apple TV and Vudu.