Lionsgate today releases Brian Skiba (Pursuit, The Gunslingers) electrifying action drama Clear Cut. The film, set deep in the forest, follows one man’s perilous quest for redemption.
Directed by Skiba, from a script penned by Joe Perruccio, the film stars Clive Standen (“Taken”, “Vikings”), Jesse Metcalfe (“Desperate Housewives”, The Possession at Gladstone Manor), Tom Welling (“Smallville”, The Fog), Stephen Dorff (Blade, “True Detective”) and Academy Award Nominee Alec Baldwin (Beetlejuice, The Departed). In this highly intense thriller, experienced logger Jack, working in the picturesque Pacific Northwest, becomes the target of a brutal assault. This represents a threat more perilous than any natural danger he has encountered. As Jack delves deeper into the wilderness, he comes into conflict with a notorious criminal gang from his past, which is hellbent on removing him from the picture before he can get back to civilisation.
The cast is rounded out with Lochlyn Munro (“Riverdale”, Freddy vs. Jason), Chelsea Reist (“The 100”, Dark Harvest), and Lucy Martin (“Vikings”).
To mark the release of the film in theaters, on digital, and on demand on July 19, 2024, CinemaChords’ Ashley Northey and Howard Gorman sat down with Skiba to discuss the genesis and creative choices behind his latest high-stakes action thriller. Skiba revealed that the fact that logging is statistically one of the most dangerous occupations in the world served as a powerful foundation for his latest project. He was determined to subvert traditional action/revenge genre tropes, carefully selecting which narrative elements to embrace and which to eschew. The result is a cinematic experience that feels strikingly original and unpredictable. We went on to discuss Skiba’s skill in assembling exceptional ensemble casts for his recent features, which is a testament to his talent as a filmmaker, as he consistently secures top-tier talent drawn to the opportunity to bring his fresh and unconventional visions to life on the big screen.
