Interceptor (2022)
Interceptor is a 2022 action thriller film directed by Matthew Reilly in his directorial debut, from a screenplay by Reilly and Stuart Beattie and a story by Reilly. An international co-production between Australia and the United States, the film stars Elsa Pataky and Luke Bracey. It follows a tough and reality-bruised army officer who finds herself in charge of a lone nuclear missile interceptor base in the middle of the Pacific Ocean after she is wrongfully drummed out of her dream job at the Pentagon. The film began streaming on Netflix on June 3, 2022, and climbed to number one on the streamer’s top 10 list with about 50 million hours viewed.
Plot:
The United States maintains two interceptor missile launch sites designed to intercept any nuclear warhead launches. The first, Fort Greely in Alaska, was attacked by unknown individuals believed to be affiliated with the… group, while 16 nuclear warheads were simultaneously captured. The second launch site is a remote platform in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. U.S. Army Captain J.J. Collins recently transferred to the latter of the two interceptor missile launch sites.
Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Marshall, working alongside Corporal Beaver Baker and Corporal Rahul Shah in the station’s command center, Collins is part of the last line of defense after the capture of Fort Greely. A small group of operatives led by former military intelligence soldier Kessel infiltrates the station and promptly kills Marshall and the other base occupants, leaving only Collins, Shah, and the unconscious Baker (who was grazed by a stray bullet) in the command center.
Production:
Reilly began writing the screenplay for Interceptor in 2017. The script’s action took place predominantly on one set, as Reilly wanted to ensure that the film’s budget would not go over $15 million. On March 4, 2021, it was announced that Elsa Pataky and Luke Bracey would star in the film, with Beattie producing with Matthew Street and Michael Boughen for Ambience Entertainment. Pataky prepared for the role by training for up to five hours each day with the help of her husband, Chris Hemsworth, who served as an executive producer and also had an uncredited cameo role as a salesman for an electronics store.