Argylle, the new film by Matthew Vaughn (Kingsman, Kick-Ass), is released this Wednesday, January 31, in theaters, and it concludes with a message that pays tribute to a person named Brad Allan.
It says-
In Memory of
Brad Allan
“Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.”
Who is he? We will explain everything to you.
Argylle: Who is Brad Allan, and to whom is the film dedicated?
Bradley James Allan was an Australian martial artist, action choreographer, actor, and stunt performer. He notably operated within the vibrant Hong Kong film industry as part of the esteemed Jackie Chan Stunt Team and lent his expertise to choreographing thrilling action sequences in Hollywood productions. Among his memorable roles, he is particularly celebrated for his portrayal of Alan in the acclaimed film “Gorgeous,” released in 1999.
Why the post-credit scene?
Without Brad Allan, Kick-Ass and Kingsman might not have been so cool. Without Brad Allan, movie fights might not be as impressive. Without Brad Allan, we might not have as much fun watching Jackie Chan fight. You will have understood that this man to whom Argylle pays tribute at the very end of the film is a stuntman recognized for his talent throughout Hollywood.
Brad Allan died on August 9, 2021, at the age of 48, following a heart attack. It was Jackie Chan himself who announced the terrible news on his official website. The two began working together in 1997 for the film Mister Cool and collaborated on no less than 12 films until 2012 for Chinese Zodiac.
Since Brad Allan died, Matthew is honoring the memory of Brad Allan, who had been overseeing stunts for all of Vaughn’s films.
Brad Allan, Hollywood Stunt Master
The stuntman quickly made a name for himself in Hollywood, and directors flocked to work with him to make their fight scenes and stunts even more impressive. Thus, Brad Allan distinguished himself in the coordination of the stunts of The Chronicles of Riddick, Hellboy II: The Legions of Gold of Doom, or even Avatar, before two directors with a pop and colorful universe got their hands on him: Edgar Wright and Matthew Vaughn.
The first entrusted him with the stunts and fight sequences of Scott Pilgrim and The Last Pub Before the End of the World, while the second worked with him on Kick-Ass, the three films in the Kingsman universe, and finally Argylle. Even if, for the latter, it was in theaters this Wednesday, January 31, Brad Allan was not able to work directly on the set. He died before the film went into production.
However, he participated in the development of certain sequences.
For the director, Argylle could not have seen the light of day without his friend. “I miss Brad. This film would not have been possible without him. It’s a very bittersweet moment when I watch these action sequences because they’re great, but I can’t believe I’m not watching Brad, editing them with him, or turning them with him. We all miss him,” Vaughn said.
A beautiful tribute to the man who definitely left his mark on Hollywood action cinema.
Matthew Vaughn talks stunt scenes in Argylle
Bradley James Allan, renowned stunt coordinator, had been overseeing stunts for all of Vaughn’s films, starting with “Kick-Ass,” gradually taking on the additional responsibility of second-unit director for the “Kingsman” series.
Tragically, Bradley James Allan, who had started crafting the stunts for “Argylle,” passed away due to illness in August 2021 at the age of 48. As a distinguished member of Jackie Chan’s esteemed stunt team, his expertise and creativity were widely respected in the industry.
Murder Ballet Sequence
The sequence seamlessly fused romantic dance movements with tactical combat, expertly choreographed to synchronize with the music. “I said to Brad Allan, ‘I want to do a love dance where they’re using smoke and the smoke becomes hearts, and Brad said, ‘Yeah, yeah, I get it,’” Vaughn says. “And he goes off and comes back with it. We were an unbelievable yin and yang.”
“I could have crazy ideas for action, and he wouldn’t even bat an eyelid.”
Vaughn about Brad Allan
Oil-Skating Sequence
Brad Allan masterfully crafted iconic action sequences for Argylle, notably featuring a thrilling oil-skating scene. The team’s innovative approach synchronized the graceful dance-like action with the illusion of gliding on oil. Vaughn and his team achieved this by actually pouring loads of oil onto the floor. During these sequences, the stunt team faced challenges maneuvering on the oil-covered surface. The scene required skilled ice skaters who could safely navigate the oil-slicked floor.
“Brad was my true partner-in-crime,” says Vaughn. “He had just become part of my company, MARV. We needed to train more young people as second-unit directors, so I had told Brad, ‘Come on board, and we’ll start giving sequences to younger directors, and we’ll oversee it.”
Roy Taylor then took over (he had also worked with Vaughn in the past) as stunt coordinator and second-unit director Damien Walters, and fight coordinator Guillermo Grispo completed the action sequences that Allan had started before his death, something Vaughn was determined to see through, and helped create the rest of the film’s stunt design.
The Impact of Brad Allan on Film
Vaughn said, “Brad was trained by Jackie Chan, the master of all masters when it comes to action, comedy, humor, and bravery.”
Watch the following amazing Brad Allan vs. Jackie Chan fighting scene:
Vaughn continued:
When Brad and I did the kick-ass, it was an extraordinary moment because we just saw eye to eye. He was the only person I could say, “I’m going to have a little girl, and I wanted to go down the corridor,” and he was like, “Great!” Everybody else was like, “What the hell is he talking about?”
I said with Kingsman, “I’ve got this idea. We’re going to do a church sequence. It’s going to go on and on and on. Harry Hart is going to kill everyone. We’re going to try and do it all in one shot,” before one shot became this thing. Now it’s, “Let’s do everything in one shot.” It’s weird. There needs to be a reason for doing a one-shot. It has to tell a story. I think it’s become this big thing of “one-shot moviemaking” or sequences. And he’s like, “Yep.” I said, “We’re going to do exploding heads.” “Yep.” “And Rasputin; we’re going to make Rasputin.” He’s the only person who would never try to talk me out of it. Everybody else would say, “You’re crazy. It just wouldn’t work.”
So when I rang him up on this, I said, “Look, I’m going to do feminine action, and I’ve got this idea. We’re going to do a dance of smoke, and we’re going to do an ice skating sequence,” because I felt the two things were more feminine than masculine. “How about it?” He’s like, “Yeah, let’s go.” Then we sit there, and then I say to him, “We can do a Moke sequence; we’ll turn the Moke into a skateboard,” and he’s like, “Yep.”
He got me, and I got him. And not having him around was hard for me. When we watched the movie (Argylle), the first thing we all said to each other was, “I hope we made him proud,” because he’s a genius and he’s left a hole that I can never fill.
Allan’s latest contribution to the kung fu-centric Shang-Chi film has been lauded for featuring some of the most impressive action sequences in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. Similarly, The King’s Man seamlessly inherits the essence of its predecessors. With Allan’s journey from the East to the West, he has injected the dynamism and excitement of Hong Kong’s action cinema into Hollywood, playing a pivotal role in crafting some of the finest fight sequences of the 21st century.
