The movie “Max” opens in theaters on June 26th, and I had the amazing opportunity to interview the movie’s director, Boaz Yakin yesterday via the phone. He is also credited with directing the two films “Now You See Me” (2013) and “Remember the Titans” (2000). While I only had about ten minutes for the interview, we were definitely able to delve into some pretty deep questions!
Yakin, a self-proclaimed dog-lover attests, “I wanted to tell a story that was emotional and heightened, while still keeping it rooted in reality.” He turned to longtime friend Sheldon Lettich, who co-wrote the screenplay.
When asked about how he came up with the idea and script for the movie, he said he turned to his friend Sheldon. “Sheldon is a Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran and brought in the idea of using MWD’s. These dogs risk their lives, or have their lives put at risk, going far ahead of their units in order to literally smell out danger,” he added.
I also inquired about the movie’s PG rating, and how he had to work with the script to make a movie about war appropriate for that rating. He felt that they were able to convey the ideas of war through storytelling instead of blood and gore. While these are natural parts of war, I also concurred with him that this is a great platform to talk to children about war, it’s effect on families, and obviously on animals as well. It’s a great conversation starter for parents and children.
When asked about how they chose the dog’s breed for the movie, he explained that they cast Max as a Belgian Malinois, instead of a more familiar breed such as a German Shepherd. In fact that the Malinois has become the breed of choice to serve as MWDs for military forces and law enforcement agencies across the United States and throughout the world. Leaner than a German Shepherd, the highly focused dogs, when trained, can smell drugs and bombs and find bodies. They can be deadly and are trusted to guard the White House and the President of the United States.
This led me to ask him about the research he had to do about MWD’s for the movie. Before writing, Yakin and Lettich observed the dogs in action at the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base K9 Unit in California. Driven to hunt and capture prey, the Malinois has a 270-degree field of vision and the force of its bite equals 1,400 pounds per square inch. It can run 30 miles per hour and withstand the heat of the desert.
But what happens when a MWD is unable to work anymore due to injuries, stress or trauma, which can cause Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)? Thanks to Robby’s Law, which went into effect in 2000, MWDs are no longer simply euthanized. They can be adopted by their handlers or other former handlers.
My next question was about the difficulty of directing pets in a movie. He proceeded to tell me that there were several dogs used in the film, and each one had their own unique characteristics that made them selected for each scene. However, Carlos, was the main dog used in about 80% of the filming. He also went on to state that the trainers were amazing, and that they were the main reason behind getting the perfect scene.
When asked about directing humans, he had so many good things to say about Thomas Haden Church, Lauren Graham, and Robbie Amell. He stated that the male characters in the film had family members who were in the military, and they had both grown up with pets, which helped evoke natural emotions in the various scenes. He also feels that casting is the most important job for a director. This also makes the biggest impact on a movie, and he feels that he was blessed with really great talent.
Two extra bits of information: His favorite scene is the Fourth of July scene. I also asked him whether he had any of his own pets, and he no longer has his dog, but is definitely an animal lover.
About the Movie:
A precision-trained military dog, Max serves on the frontlines in Afghanistan alongside his handler, U.S. Marine Kyle Wincott. But when things go terribly wrong on maneuvers, Kyle is mortally wounded and Max, traumatized by the loss of his best friend, is unable to remain in service.
Sent stateside, the only human he seems willing to connect with is Kyle’s teenage brother, Justin, so Max is saved when he is adopted by Kyle’s family. But Justin has issues of his own, including living up to his father’s expectations, and he isn’t interested in taking responsibility for his brother’s troubled dog. However, Max may be Justin’s only chance to discover what really happened to his brother that day on the front, and with the help of Carmen, a tough-talking young teen who has a way with dogs, Justin begins to appreciate his canine companion.
Justin’s growing trust in Max helps the four-legged veteran revert back to his heroic self, and as the pair race to unravel the mystery, they find more excitement—and danger—than they bargained for. But they each might also find an unlikely new best friend…in each other.
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