Will shadowy government organizations in movies ever stop making human super-weapons and losing control of them? Not if the science fiction movie Enhanced is any indication. Directed by stuntman James Mark (Shazam, Pacific Rim, Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World), the film centers on a group of mutants who escape from a government enhancement program, which then sets out to round them up. Meanwhile, one escapee starts killing his fellow mutants to absorb their powers.
With the film set for a late March release, and the first trailer for the current cut of the film now available, Polygon talked to Mark via email about Enhanced.
Are you a fan of comics or superhero stories in general? What kind of influences are you drawing from here?
I’m definitely a fan of superheroes and comics, however more so a fan of anime. I would say when it comes to action, I’m drawing from shows like Dragon Ball Z, Akira, and Bleach.
This film premiered at a festival in 2019. What’s its journey to release been like?
The journey to release started strong, and as with everything else in the world, was put on pause due to COVID. We have been patiently waiting for life to resume as normal along with everyone else, and are incredibly excited to finally share this with the world.
Are there particular things you’re doing in this film that come out of your stunt experience, or that your past career really made you want to try?
My stunt team on this film is comprised of friends and co-workers that I’ve worked with for years. It’s allowed us to create action sequences that we can execute on a tight schedule.
What was the most exciting or difficult thing you got to do on this film?
I’d say the most exciting was also the most difficult. We shot all of the cabin scenes in a remote location in Huntsville, Ontario. It was the middle of winter, and the cabin was snowmobile-access only. Oftentimes we would find ourselves journeying to the cabin at 5:30 a.m. with temperatures of -30 degrees Celsius. The cabin only had a wood stove, so we were huddled together until that was fired up and burning hot. It was definitely a bonding experience for the crew.
Enhanced will arrive on digital On Demand platforms on March 26, 2021.
