Birmingham has played host to some pretty big Hollywood productions in recent years, but it’s not often we get to see our city taking centre stage in its very own action movie. Well, that’s about to change, and if Lotus is anything to go by, Brum can certainly pack a punch.
Written, directed by and starring Birmingham-born stunt performer Phillip Ray Tommy, Lotus is an ambitious independent action thriller that brings a healthy dose of Hollywood-style violence, conspiracy and martial arts to the streets of the Second City.
Tommy, affectionately known as ‘Big Phill’, has an impressive list of film and TV credits under his belt, including Gladiator II, The Expend4bles, The King’s Man and Gangs of London. Having spent years throwing himself, and other people, around on some of the world’s biggest film and TV sets, he’s now turned his attention to creating his own feature film, right here in his hometown.
And why not? We’ve got the locations, the talent and the creativity. It’s about time someone made good use of them!
I was fortunate enough to attend a private screening of Lotus, and I should mention that I also have a small Associate Producer credit on the film, so I’m not entirely impartial. However, I do love a good action film, and I’m always excited to see what our local filmmaking community can achieve.
The story centres on John (Tommy), a former special forces operative whose attempts to leave his dangerous past behind don’t quite go according to plan. When he becomes embroiled in a sinister criminal conspiracy threatening Birmingham, he’s forced to put his rather considerable skills back into action.
Naturally, there are plenty of people who would prefer he didn’t interfere, and they’re prepared to go to some pretty extreme lengths to stop him.
It’s familiar territory for fans of the genre. Think John Wick meets The Raid, with a touch of Gangs of London. Only instead of New York or Jakarta, we’re in Digbeth, and there’s something rather wonderful about that.
Of course, the real attraction here is the action.
Tommy’s years as a professional stunt performer are put to excellent use, and the fight sequences are undoubtedly one of the film’s greatest strengths. There’s a satisfying physicality to the choreography, with plenty of bone-crunching blows, impressive combat skills and exaggerated sound effects that make you wince on behalf of the unfortunate villains.
This is action filmmaking that knows exactly what its audience wants. No endless conversations about settling scores when there’s a perfectly good opportunity to settle them with someone’s face!
There’s also something particularly enjoyable about watching action performed by people who genuinely know what they’re doing. The stunt-heavy cast gives the fights an authenticity and intensity that can be difficult to achieve on an independent production, especially one without the luxury of a Hollywood budget.
Amongst the cast is the imposing Chi Lewis-Parry, whose character Kyle provides some of the film’s most exciting physical confrontations. The pair make formidable opponents, and their fight sequences are a real highlight.
The supporting cast also delivers some memorable performances. Oliver Mayo brings a suitably menacing presence to criminal boss Dre, while Gregg Hobbs makes a rather unpleasant villain as Rob. Charles O’Neill, meanwhile, brings some much-needed warmth and humanity as Charles, providing a welcome contrast to all the violence.
And that’s something I particularly liked about Lotus: underneath the fighting and criminal underworld, there are moments of genuine tenderness and humour. Accompanied by some beautiful music, these quieter scenes offer an opportunity to connect with the characters between the action sequences.
The storyline doesn’t necessarily break new ground for the genre, and there are some familiar action-movie conventions at play, but that’s not really a problem. Lotus knows the kind of film it wants to be, and rather than trying to overcomplicate things, it puts much of its energy into delivering entertaining action and a good old-fashioned battle between good and evil.
And then there’s Birmingham. Oh, Birmingham!
For me, one of the greatest pleasures of Lotus is seeing our city presented as a genuinely cinematic location.
From the imposing architecture of the Council House to the bright lights of the city centre and the grittier streets and pubs of Digbeth, Birmingham looks fantastic.
Cinematographer Gary Rogers makes excellent use of the city’s contrasting landscapes, giving the film a visual identity that feels considerably more ambitious than you might expect from an independently financed production.
It’s particularly satisfying to see locations such as The Mockingbird and The Ruin featured in an action film. Places many of us have spent countless evenings drinking, socialising and watching films are suddenly the setting for spectacular confrontations and criminal activity. Well, perhaps not entirely unfamiliar territory for Digbeth, but certainly a little more dramatic than your average Saturday night!
And crucially, Birmingham isn’t pretending to be somewhere else. It’s proudly, unmistakably Birmingham.
That’s big. Our city has an extraordinary wealth of creative talent, locations and stories, yet too often we’re overlooked in favour of London and other established production centres.
Tommy has made no secret of his ambition to change that, and Lotus demonstrates what can be achieved when filmmakers take the initiative rather than waiting for permission or opportunity to arrive.
There’s something particularly inspiring about the fact that this is his feature directorial debut. Writing, directing and starring in a film would be a substantial undertaking for anyone, never mind delivering complex fight sequences and coordinating an independent production with limited resources.
Of course, Lotus doesn’t have the polish or enormous budgets of the Hollywood blockbusters that have inspired it, but what it does have is energy, ambition and a talented cast and crew who clearly understand and enjoy the action genre and that deserves recognition.
Ultimately, Lotus is an entertaining, hard-hitting independent action thriller with some excellent stunt work, memorable characters and a refreshing sense of place.
More importantly, it demonstrates that ambitious action cinema doesn’t have to come from Hollywood, or even London. With the right people, plenty of determination and a willingness to take a few risks, it can come from right here in the Midlands.
Whether you’re a fan of martial arts movies, action-packed thrillers or simply want to support independent British cinema, Lotus is well worth a watch.
Brum has entered the action movie business, and it’s come out fighting! KAPOW!
By Mazzy Snape