Capítulo 140: Professionalism
Tom Cruise wasn't a prodigious actor, but he was dedicated to his craft. This was the virtue of "Tom the Hunk", and it was the reason Lyman had confidence in his ability to perform well in the role.
Of course, there was also a part of this decision driven by market considerations. Tom indeed had an impact on his fan base and box office draw.
His reputation in overseas markets was also commendable, with fans all around the world supporting him.
The "Mission: Impossible" movie series, apart from the first installment, largely relied on Tom's charisma to carry it forward. This wasn't like series such as "007" or "Harry Potter", where the former was less tied to the actor and the latter was less shaped by the story's style.
No matter who played "Bond", did it affect the market results? The core of the story remained consistent, and the fans embraced it.
For "Mission: Impossible", each sequel had a different filming style, but with Tom in it, the results were consistently outstanding. The only difference was the word of mouth. Tom's status as a top-tier star undeniably demonstrated its market appeal throughout the entire series.
After completing another scene, Lyman sat behind the director's monitor and nodded in approval.
Concentrating Tom's scenes for filming had significantly improved his performance. The number of retakes had decreased, and the shooting pace had elevated.
Although his acting was still far from perfect and couldn't compare with the likes of Heath Ledger, Nicolas Cage, Morgan Freeman, etc., his role inherently demanded a reserved demeanor, with emotions conveyed primarily through his eyes and subtle facial expressions. Muscle control was something he, as an experienced actor with over twenty years of experience, was capable of.
Of course, some old habits occasionally needed reminders from Lyman.
For instance, when he smiled and curved his lips upward, the curve shouldn't resemble a ruler's measurement, as if he were posing for reporters or a photoshoot. Or, when he lowered his head, his expression shouldn't be too rigid—this wasn't a magazine cover shoot. The sensation of inner turmoil shouldn't resemble someone trying to appear cool... These were the subconscious gestures that Tom still carried into his acting.
Fortunately, after reminders, he promptly made corrections.
After completing another scene, Tom returned to his dressing room, but his emotional fluctuations hadn't calmed.
The sole consequence of concentrating his scenes was that Tom faced significantly more pressure in his performance.
One moment, he had to act opposite Nicolas; the next, he was up against; and later, he'd share scenes with seasoned actors like Hugo Weaving...
To ensure his performance wasn't overshadowed by others, leading to emotional outbursts, Tom was genuinely contemplating how to handle the imposing pressure from fellow actors. The fluctuations in emotions, the oscillation between trepidation and confidence, left him somewhat unaccustomed.
When was the last time he experienced such intense pressure and performance anxiety? He had forgotten.
Perhaps it was when he first entered the industry, filled with nervousness, excitement, and exhilaration... a mix of emotions.
At this moment, under the care of his personal assistant, Ms. Vina, Tom's emotions were still far from calm as she touched up his makeup. He stared at his reflection in the mirror, gradually closing his eyes.
The next scene involved his "informant", Kate Beckinsale's character, being discovered by his fellow operative, played by Nicolas.
This was another face-off between him and Nicolas, and Tom contemplated how he should play it out.
The "informant" being exposed would naturally result in confusion, as his undercover identity would be at risk. Yet, amid the confusion, he needed to maintain composure because it wasn't necessarily a dead end. How should he handle this? What pacing should he maintain in his acting, how should he control his facial expressions, and what about his eye acting?
"Oh," Tom couldn't help but groan. In recent days, he had been overwhelmed.
But there was no choice; his role was the linchpin of the story, the nexus connecting various characters. Nearly all the plot twists and progressions rested on his shoulders.
"Are you ready?"
"Okay."
...
The lighting was dim, cast in cool tones symbolizing a significant event about to unfold.
James Wan stood behind Lyman, stretching his neck to look towards the direction of the dressing room.
Lyman lifted his arm and lightly bumped him, "Go, have all non-essential personnel leave. I want to clear the set, including you."
"Uh..."
James expressed regret but followed the order.
René walked over next, looking at Lyman with a question he already knew the answer to, "Lyman, I'm a producer. I need to oversee the filming on set."
Lyman's expression turned serious, "I'll take care of watching. You can leave as well."
The next scene was Kate's scene. What were these guys thinking? Lyman understood, didn't he?
"Clear the set."
His tone was assertive.
Although the young lady didn't have any special requests, as a director who cared about his actors, Lyman was considerate and took the initiative to reduce the number of people on set, except for Tom and a few actors he needed for scenes.
After everything was arranged, the last few prop handlers left with expressions of reluctance.
"Action."
Lyman felt an inexplicable excitement, picking up the megaphone and raising his voice louder than usual.
One camera was positioned above the set at a 45-degree overhead angle, capturing the scene below, while another one was set neatly on the side, controlled by Thomas.
This shot required many close-ups. Provide some eye candy, and it suited the story as well.
On the monitor, first, Tom entered from outside the warehouse. As the camera lifted, Nicolas sat in the center of the warehouse, with three henchmen standing quietly behind him. A large iron drum was placed to his right.
Tom slowed his steps and approached, forcing a composed demeanor, "Why did you call me here?"
Nicolas didn't answer him but instead mused to himself, "We had someone monitor the police, and we found an interesting woman. Ian, do you know who she is?"
Cold sweat unconsciously formed on his forehead. Tom's worst fear was coming true, but he still laughed lightly, "How would I know? Is she someone I know?"
Nicolas stood up and patted his friend's shoulder, the force was light, but it felt like a tap on Tom's heart, making him feel unsteady. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead and started trickling down.
"Of course, you're quite familiar with her. I brought her along." Nicolas turned around, pointing at the large iron drum, "There, she's right inside. Would you like to meet her?" He finished, rubbing his face, showing a hint of weariness.
This detail added a layer of excellence. Lyman, sitting behind the monitor, felt satisfied with Nicolas's spontaneous action.
He merely rubbed his face, yet it intensified the overall tense atmosphere, giving off an unsettling sense of impending major trouble, while also conveying restraint.
Tom couldn't afford to panic, though he was already quite disoriented. However, he still walked towards the large iron drum.
As he looked inside, turned around, his whole body stiffened.
"Did you know that this woman is an undercover cop?" Nicolas lit a cigarette, and the smoke billowed upwards. No one expected him to choose this moment to become aggressive.
His actions were swift. He picked up an iron rod nearby and struck one of his three henchmen to the ground.
One strike, another, and then another.
The henchman's head started to ooze a significant amount of fresh blood.
The deep red liquid flowed onto the ground.
"You bastard, daring to plant an undercover in my team. Are you tired of living?" He cursed as he repeatedly struck, a string of profanities spewing out without stopping.
Soon enough, as it became clear the man wouldn't survive, Nicolas lit another cigarette, ignoring the blood that had stained his body. He pulled out a handgun from his pocket and handed it to Tom, "Go deal with her. Anyone who dares to be a snitch for the police deserves to die."
Tom suppressed his trembling and accepted the gun...
In "Miscreant", this was the nude scene.
After the informant was captured, subjected to severe torture, their body was covered in scars, and their clothes were in tatters.
And, not to forget, the rope? Yes, the rope.
Only a scant piece of fabric barely covered a few key areas. Don't ask me why the clothes were reduced to this amount; it's for art's sake, you know.
The inclusion of this scene was purely for visual pleasure and promotional hype. Don't worry about the clothes; what mattered was the figure.
A "bondage" play? The crew really knew how to play. No wonder they had expressions of not wanting to leave.
Lyman thought to himself. On the screen, Kate was bound by ropes. Not only did it not ruin the aesthetics, but due to the binding effect of the ropes, her curves were enhanced—where they should be accentuated, they were, which made one wonder if the person who tied the ropes had studied abroad in that island nation.
Otherwise, the expertise in this shibari technique seemed a bit too proficient. Truly a talented individual.
Paired with the carefully applied makeup creating the illusion of scars on the skin, it gave off a peculiar feeling.
The director felt a shameful stir in his body. No way around it, lighting and filters made things alluring.
Besides, Kate was already quite good-looking and had a remarkable charm, a British elegance.
Kate herself wasn't too overwhelmed. She had done nude scenes before, so while she felt a bit bashful in this situation, she still managed to control it.
At this moment, her mouth was sealed shut with tape as she watched Tom hesitatingly raise the gun, shaking her head and pleading.
She didn't want to die, but observing Tom Cruise's internal struggle, his eyes gradually firming up.
Her begging movements slowed down, her eyes filled with despair.
"Bang, bang, bang." Gunshots rang out.
Tom seemed possessed, repeatedly pulling the trigger until he emptied the gun of all its bullets. After a long while, he tossed the gun to the ground.
Nicolas didn't say anything, only giving him a complicated look, a gaze that conveyed many things.
With everyone gone, Tom finally couldn't hold on any longer and slumped to the ground.
But did he ever want to die? If he didn't die, he could only do this.
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