This week on BEHIND THE LENS it’s all about action thanks to director SHANE DAX TAYLOR and his new film, EXIT PROTOCOL, and director MICHAEL DOWSE and his latest film, TRAP HOUSE.

First up, let’s take a look at TRAP HOUSE and my exclusive interview with director MICHAEL DOWSE. It's been years since I spoke with Michael about “Goon” so it's nice to reconnect with him now for TRAP HOUSE; a fun multi-generational action film that boasts outstanding action set pieces, some superb cinematography thanks to Matt Flannery and a lightness of touch and visual tone that is really enjoyable and entertaining.

TRAP HOUSE is set in El Paso, Texas, where DEA Agent Ray Seale and his team infiltrate a drug trafficking operation run by notorious cartel boss ‘Guzman’. But things go wrong, and one of his team is shot and killed. In the aftermath, the slain agent’s son, Jesse, is devastated and struggles financially, having to move back to Spain with his mom. Ray’s own son, Cody, feels sorry for Jesse and bands together a group of other DEA kids to utilize their skills and access to resources to enact revenge, stealing money from trap houses operated by the cartel.

As the teenage ring of thieves goes for riskier targets, the DEA and the cartel close in. Cody quickly realizes he’s entered them all into a deadly game, and when Ray finds out the truth, he must protect his son from the increasing danger that has resulted from their heists.

Directed by Michael Dowse and written by Gary Scott Thompson and Tom O'Connor, TRAP HOUSE stars Dave Bautista and Bobby Cannavale as DEA agents Ray Seals and Andre Washburn, Jack Champion as Ray’s son Cody, and Sophia Lillis, Whitney Peak, Zaire Adams, and Blu del Barrio as Cody’s friends, plus Inde Navarette and Kate del Castillo.

Digging into the making of TRAP HOUSE, Michael highlights its blend of action, comedy, and drama. Notable is the script's detailed action set pieces and the emotional depth of Cody and Ray's relationship, which was all on the page from the start. As you’ll hear, visual storytelling is crucial, and Michael makes the most of it through his collaboration with cinematographer Matt Flannery, who implements night vision, gas masks, and a dust storm, as well as capturing dynamic action sequences. Calling on editor Tim Porter, Michael discusses the “challenging but effective” editing process. Another element of TRAP HOUSE is the film’s score, composed by Jack Latham and Amanda Yamate, which balances the high-energy action with emotional depth. Michael also discusses learning the importance of working with a robust second unit, and that he found drama easier to handle than comedy.

Then we keep the action going with director SHANE DAX TAYLOR and his new film EXIT PROTOCOL. I love this film. I had so much fun watching the terrific blend of action, emotion, humor, and performances. And the story is great fun!

This is a "simple" tale of assassins. A notorious hitman, Hayden, who made a career of killing other assassins, wants out. But walking away is not that easy. He’s got one last job to do, and that is to take out his rival, Mangold. Unfortunately, Hayden gets double-crossed by his boss, who has hits out on Mangold AND Hayden. Now marked for death, Hayden unexpectedly finds himself partnering with Mangold to outrun his boss and the third hitman in the mix.

Directed by Shane Dax Taylor and written by Chad Law, EXIT PROTOCOL stars Scott Martin, Dolph Lundgren, Charlotte Kirk, Lina Maya, Stephanie Beran, and Michael Jai White.

Not only is Shane articulate, thoughtful, and knowledgeable in his craft, but he also opened our interview by telling me what a fan he is of BTL and that he has been a listener for years!

I can honestly say that in my 44+ years as a film critic and the almost 12 years of doing this show, Shane is a first for me, as he talked in depth about the challenges of stepping in as director after the original director passed away. How does one even handle that? Shane talks about how he did it, a big part of which was his crew, with whom he had worked prior, cinematographer Mark Rutledge and editor Jake Buchheit, as well as Dolph Lundgren and Scott Martin, not to mention his long-standing relationship with writer Chad Law.

Diving into the production aspects, such as developing the visual grammar and focusing on a light and bright tone, and the importance of showing the beauty of the world and allowing actors to shine, a big challenge with filming was wildfires, which affected camera angles and placement, lighting, as well as last-minute evacuations from a fire zone. And how about the flooding that came after the fires, wiping out the principal cabin used in filming? All of this gave Shane some solid lessons in adaptability and the importance of having trust in your team. We also discuss Yagmur Kaplan's score and the film's editing with pacing and balancing action with quieter moments, while letting the subtle humor shine through.