The Rock of the Rampage

Hollywood megastar Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock is all geared up for the release of his much anticipated adventurous movie, Rampage, which releases in India on April 13. Here’s Dwayne in conversation with us about the movie and more:

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How does Big Meets Bigger defines this movie?

Rampage is a big movie – big in scale, big in action and big in heart. It’s epic in every way.  We have not just a gigantic, amazing albino gorilla, we have a super-sized mutated grey wolf and a massive crocodile. We destroy a major city. So, what fans can count on is big, intense action that really pushes the envelope and creates a non-stop ride of fun and chaos.  

How did Naomie Harris pull off the role of Kate? 

Naomie has serious dramatic chops, as we all saw with her performance in Moonlight. It was incredibly impressive how she stepped onto the set and said, “I am throwing caution to the wind, bringing my experience to this film, even though I have never been in a helicopter that has crashed or been chased by enormous mutated animals. I’m just going to go for it.” 

How was it working with Jason Liles, who portrays George, an albino gorilla?

I’ve seen performance capture in films and incredible work from people like Andy Serkis. But to actually experience it with Jason in Rampage was invaluable. Jason really immersed himself in studying the habits, emotions, vocalizations and personalities of gorillas.  He’s 6’ 9” and would get down on all fours and walk and run like a gorilla. He gives a spectacular performance.  

We hear your dog, Hobbs, was an inspiration for the emotional connection Davis makes with George. Please comment.

One of the anchors in the movie, amid all the action and destruction, is the bond between Davis and George. I based a lot of that on the relationship I have with my little Frenchie bulldog, Hobbs, aka Bruce Wee.” 

This is your third collaboration with director Brad Peyton. How has your working relationship evolved over the years?

I enjoy working with Brad. He’s a real guy’s guy from a small, working class town in Canada, and he’s all about the work and making sure it’s as good as it can be. On Rampage, our motto was, “How is this going to be different?”  

Humour also plays a key role in the film. Right?

Humour is a critical element in Rampage. The Rampage video game had a very simple storyline: three monsters destroy a city.  But at the same time, the monsters would do things that would make the gamers laugh. For example, somebody would be taking a shower, and a monster would reach in the building, pull the naked victim out of the shower and eat him or her (laughs). 

What do you hope audiences experience when they watch Rampage?

They’ll experience the ride of a lifetime. Rampage is going to be an experience like they have never had before. They’ll be thrown into a battle involving not one, not two, but three giant monsters. And then you have a big, brown, bald, tattooed guy running around trying not to get eaten and get his ass kicked, all the while trying to save the life of his best friend.