Unlike the menacing characters in his newest movie, director James McTeigue doesn't linger in the shadows.
The New York-based director - whose credits include V for Vendetta and a senior role on the Matrix trilogy - was in town last night for the Canadian premiere of his newest flick, Ninja Assassin.
And while a bloody, blockbuster martial arts extravaganza - produced by the Wachowski brothers and starring Korean pop megastar Rain - may not seem like typical Vancouver International Film Festival fare, McTeigue says Vancouver was a natural fit.
"I was keen to come up here because there is a large Asian population that would suit the film," McTeigue, reportedly the next Superman director, told 24 hours. "You do get a lot of films from around the world, a lot of independent films, [at VIFF] but I think it's a testament to their open mindedness. I'm happy to bring it."
And he brings it with the precision and power of a master swordsman.
Ninja Assassin is a gory genre flick teeming with all of the action and special effects you'd expect from the team who redefined action movies with The Matrix.
"The Matrix changed the way people watched movies. Every now and again you get an epochal film that changes the way you view cinema and I've been lucky enough to be exposed to that," said McTeigue. "And we've basically worked with the same people for 10 years now and you're always trying to take it to the next level. If you look at V for Vendetta and the Ninja movie, there's a certain style to it, but it's still completely different."
Ninja Assassin hits theatres across North America Nov. 25.
Those seeking instant gratification, however, can try to catch the VIFF's final screening of the film today at 1:30 p.m. at Empire Granville 7 Cinemas, 855 Granville Street.
