Liam Neeson has spent two decades looking tough on screen. The man making him look that way is finally calling the shots.
Mark Vanselow has worked as Neeson’s stuntman for over 20 years and at least as many movies, from an uncredited role in 2000’s Gun Shy to the Taken films, the Ice Road films, The Commuter, and Cold Pursuit. Now, for Neeson’s latest action thriller The Mongoose, Vanselow steps into the director’s chair.
The film stars Neeson as Ryan “Fang” Flanagan, a military veteran who accidentally steals an expensive, high-tech car and sparks a cross-country chase. Michael Chiklis plays a Texas lawman pursuing him, while helicopters and countless cops join the hunt. Fang races toward the southern border as the chase makes national headlines, turning him into a folk hero who inspires supporters to help him outsmart the police.
From Stuntman to Director
Vanselow’s path to the director’s seat was built over decades of on-set experience. He describes the stunt world as a constant education.
“In the stunt world you kind of move up the ladder to stunt coordinating and then second unit directing, where you’re directing a lot of the action,” Vanselow says. “I’ve been doing that for a number of years. And in the position of stunt coordinator or stunt performer, I’ve worked with some amazing directors throughout my career. So it was like a constant university every day.”
His chance to direct a feature came with The Mongoose, backed by producers Bart Rosenblatt and Al Corley. Neeson’s support made the difference.
“Liam was behind it 100%.”
Neeson’s Backing
The star’s endorsement was crucial to Vanselow landing the job. It also meant the pair’s long partnership would continue in a new form.
Keeping the Action in the Family
Vanselow and Neeson have spent years developing a shared approach to action. That means close-combat fights where the actor does as much of his own work as possible.
“We’re always trying to create action that he can do as much as possible,” Vanselow says. “Obviously, there’s time constraints and issues of ability and safety, but Liam really endeavors to do as much as he possibly can, particularly when we’re talking about the fight action.”
This time, though, Vanselow stepped back from the physical work.
“In the past, we’ve created stuff that he and I do together. This time, I stepped aside and let some other people do it.”
Chris Weir’s Stunt Team
Chris Weir served as stunt coordinator on the film. Vanselow credits Weir and his team for handling the demanding driving sequences.
The Car Is the Co-Star
Beyond Neeson, the film’s most important character may be the stolen vehicle itself. It comes with a built-in AI assistant, and it drives much of the story’s explosive action.
“The car is a character in the movie,” Vanselow says, “and it represents a lot of different things. It was a great challenge and I got to work with a really great team. Chris Weir was the stunt coordinator and his team did an amazing job with the resources we had.”
A Folk Hero for Veterans
For all its high-speed thrills, The Mongoose takes on a heavier subject: how America treats its military veterans. Fang is an ex-soldier still dealing with trauma, and his story resonates with other veterans who help him along the way.
Vanselow says this depth was essential to making the movie stand apart.
“It’s an action movie, but there’s a lot of depth to it,” he says. “Hopefully it’s one of those movies where you can go back and see it again and again, and keep finding other layers. It’s not just a shiny car racing around the corner.”
Key Facts
- Release date: Oct. 30 in theaters
- Director: Mark Vanselow
- Star: Liam Neeson as Ryan “Fang” Flanagan
- Co-star: Michael Chiklis as a Texas lawman
- Vanselow-Neeson partnership: 20+ years, starting with 2000’s Gun Shy
The Neeson Formula
The film delivers the expected Neeson approach: non-stop action, wild stunts, and gruff dialogue. It also carries a modern folk-hero story, with Fang’s chase resonating especially with other veterans who help him evade the police.
For Vanselow, the jump from stuntman to director is the culmination of years of preparation.
The Mongoose releases in theaters on Oct. 30.
Source: polygon.com
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