Ultraviolet (2006)

To help create Ultraviolet’s eyecatching stunt sequences, the filmmakers hired stunt coordinator Mike Smith, who previously worked with Wimmer on Equilibrium. Their working relationship was tight and well-honed, with a shorthand that allowed them to collaborate with extreme efficiency.

Each of the film’s fight sequences have their own style and type of weapon – and each was incredibly complicated to capture on film. Thankfully, Wimmer and Smith were given the time and money in pre-production to take the time to create and choreograph each sequence. Months of work went into figuring out the most thrilling, unexpected ways to illustrate Violet’s talents, but the filmmakers were thrilled to be able to take the time to do it right.

“Conceptually, Wimmer is one of the smartest guys I’ve ever met,” says Smith. “He looks at action in a very different way than most. He has a great eye for it.” Smith has a degree in human movement and is a highly skilled martial artist himself. Using that knowledge, he wanted to create a unique style for the fight sequences that hadn’t been seen before. But in their early explorations nothing seemed a perfect fit for Ultraviolet. It wasn’t until they were watching rhythmic gymnastics one day when a spark of creativity occurred that ultimately gave them a foundation for a new style of martial arts.

“The sword moves in particular were derived from rhythmic gymnastics,” says Smith. “Kurt and I were amazed by what gymnasts could do with batons, ribbons, and balls. I was shocked no one had incorporated those skills in a film before.” Having done stunt- and fightwork in several other films, working with Smith and Wimmer on the fight scenes was like a breath of fresh air for Jovovich. “I’m particularly proud to be a part of this production because of the quality of the stunts,” she says. “It’s really like dancing more than fighting.”

Smith was floored by her commitment. “Milla’s the most down-to-earth, hardest working actor I’ve ever been around,” he says. “She works her butt off. She’d take home whatever I taught her that day, come back the next day and it’d be better than before.”

Baldecchi was equally amazed. “To say we were impressed with her physicality is an understatement,” he says. “To swing a sword the way she does, to do the stunts she did – it’s been great fun to watch. She was absolutely tireless in training, and the movie benefited tremendously from her dedication and ability to execute what she learned.”

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