The Big Picture

What might happen if a group of highly trained operatives had to complete a mission drunk and/or high? The new Netflix series, Obliterated, answers that question. During an interview with Collider’s Perri Nemiroff, stunt coordinator Marcus Young and military technical advisor Kevin Kent revisit some of the most ambitious fight scenes of the series. Both also sing actor Nick Zano’s praises, with Kent suggesting he could be the next Chris Pratt.

We’ve seen some exceptional stunt-heavy set pieces in countless spy/military shows and films. But, what if those operatives were drunk and/or high while on their missions? That’s the question Netflix’s downright wild new action comedy, Obliterated, poses.

Shelley Hennig’s Ava Winters is a CIA agent leading a special forces group investigating a nuclear threat in Las Vegas. After managing to track down and disarm the bomb, the group opts to celebrate — hard. After a considerable amount of drinking and indulging in other substances, they get a call from their superior informing them that the bomb was a fake and the real one is still out there. With bellies full of booze and who knows what coursing through their bloodstreams, they’ve got no choice but to pull it together and get back out there in order to save Vegas.

With Obliterated now available to stream on Netflix, I got the chance to chat with stunt coordinator Marcus Young and military technical advisor Kevin Kent about what it was like whipping up realistic action scenes for a group of trained experts post-rager. Hear all about their most ambitious stunt scenes, and why Kent is convinced that Nick Zano is following in the footsteps of Chris Pratt, Mark Wahlberg, and John Krasinski in the video at the top of this article or in the interview transcript below.

Obliterated Obliterated tells the story of an elite special forces team who thwarts a deadly threat to Las Vegas. After their celebratory party, filled with booze, drugs and sex, the team discovers that the bomb they deactivated was a fake. The now intoxicated team has to fight through their impairments, overcome their personal issues, find the real bomb, and save the world. Release Date November 30, 2023 Cast Nick Zano, Shelley Hennig, Kimi Rutledge, C. Thomas Howell Main Genre Comedy Seasons 1 Streaming Service(s) Netflix

PERRI NEMIROFF: What is it like finding the balance between modern action while also designing for the ‘80s/’90s classic action movie style that this series is trying to channel?

MARCUS YOUNG: That’s a great question. I guess it’s really based on the characters, too, and the story, how we design the action. I think that’s our blueprint, our outline, and then we start to put the questions out to the creators like, “What about this? What about this?” And they’re like, “Oh!” And then they start to expound on it and we create a sequence that nobody would have come up with on their own, but we’ve collaborated to create something unique and special. I think this show highlighted that a lot with our sequences.

I know they’re guys who like to take big swings and not hold back. Was there any idea you pitched to them, you thought they were going to say, “No, that’s too much,” but it’s now in the final version of the show?

YOUNG: No. I knew the elevator sequence was gonna be a difficult one and time-consuming. With production, everyone’s in full swing so it’s hard to get everyone’s undivided attention. And especially because the set had to be built out, and it’s smaller than a real elevator shaft and that creates safety issues on my side, so a lot of testing happened. In fact, our co-coordinator, Josh Kimball, was left back in Albuquerque to test the sequence while I came here to scout the sequences that need to be shot here in Vegas. Mainly the car chase, like, “How are we gonna pull this off?” But there’s a lot of little connected pieces that needed to tie in with the stuff we shot in Albuquerque.

All the hard work that went into that elevator sequence – spot on. What a good build right there.

Kevin, I was doing a little IMDb stalking and I noticed a lot of your credits are a little more grounded, perhaps more serious films, so what was it like bringing authenticity to a series that leans a little more absurd comedy?

KEVIN KENT: It was great. It was a great opportunity for me. And I like to think I have a relatively good sense of humor.

YOUNG: Says who? [Laughs]

KENT: Right? [Laughs] Actually, the script and everything, that’s what kind of brought me in. You know, coming off of a show like Jack Ryan with very serious stuff going on and then I read the first four episodes of this and I’m just busting a gut laughing and going, “Okay, I definitely want to be part of this show. It’s gonna be a good opportunity, a good time to be on a good crew and not take things too seriously.”

I love how I pitched the question that way and then the first thing I thought was, “Yeah, Fast & Furious movies, those are really grounded and serious, right?”

KENT: [Laughs] Yeah, right?

Marcus, what do you find more challenging, doing stunt coordination for an actor playing a character who is actually an expert and knows what they’re doing or for an actor playing a character who is under-trained and/or drunk or high?

YOUNG: A, because then they think they know it all, and then they won’t be able to adapt and change. And it might be something just with camera, like a directorial thing. Like, “Hey, you need to turn this way.” “Well, I wouldn’t do that in the real situation.” They think they know more than they actually know, and that limits them as far as making them look actually better than what they are.

Can you break down any specific styles that you pinpointed for, in particular, Ava, McKnight, Gomez, and Trunk to differentiate their fighting styles in a way that reflects who they are and their past training?

YOUNG: Let’s start with Nick’s character, McKnight. He’s the heart and soul of the team, but he’s also the Energizer Bunny. He takes a lick and he keeps on ticking, which makes him like Brad Pitt in Fight Club. He’s always getting smashed and, “Ah! Hit me again!” I think Nick’s created his own character, whether it’s kind of based off of that or not, and that actually is a real juxtaposition with the other people like Trunk, which is brutal and just picking guys up and slamming guys. With [spoiler], her character is this Russian spy, but she can’t give it away that she is, and then when she and Shelley go at it at the end, I just wanted to make that a fun chick fight on top of a hotel.

Great success with that. Yet another one that stands out big time.

How Is Obliterated Realistic? Murphy’s Law
Image via Netflix

Kevin, what is something that happens in this show that might make someone out there think, “There’s no way that that’s realistic. It can’t happen that way,” but it’s actually really authentic to how a mission like this might unfold?

KENT: Realistically, it’s like Murphy’s law. For us, anytime we’re going down range doing something, you always have to plan for Murphy’s law. Like, “Man, if ever there’s gonna be something that’s gonna be screwed up and go wrong, or if it can go wrong, it’s gonna go wrong.” Many scenarios, you have to plan for that, for these weird things that pop up. The freakin’ helo crash is ridiculous.

And the writing was phenomenal. It was just like one wrench after another being thrown into the script, and I think it’s awesome. And to kind of piggyback what Marcus was saying about the cast and the crew and everybody, I think it was a testament to [them] – things would get dropped and it’s great because I think the storyline, everybody was all in, invested into this show, and they’re sitting there looking at it going, “Oh my god, I can’t wait to see what happens next.” Everybody fought hard to make things work and come together as a crew in the end. It was a phenomenal experience.

Nick Zano Could Be the Next Chris Pratt, Mark Wahlberg or John Krasinski
Image via Netflix

To highlight the cast a little, let’s say you, as in real you, are called upon to find a bomb in Las Vegas. You can pick two actors from this ensemble to be on your elite special forces team. Which two actors do you choose and why?

KENT: Oh shit. I would pick Nick, for sure. I’m excited to see where Nick’s career is gonna go. I’ve worked with Pratt and Wahlberg and Krasinski, dudes like that that are major action stars, and I see Nick on that same trajectory. I don’t know who else I would pick. Maybe Gomez just because, I mean, you’re always gonna need a sniper. I’m gonna go with those two.

Good team there.

YOUNG: I’m gonna go with Eugene and Anastasia. I’m gonna go the complete opposite.

KENT: Nice. I like it.

YOUNG: Eugene because he’s a father and he’s fighting for his daughter. He’s doing everything for her. To save Vegas, but really to save his daughter. He’s the straight-laced guy that gets high and has to figure it out. Anastasia because she’s that chameleon that blends in and switches for her needs. Those are the dangerous ones, the father and the chameleon.

Watch on Netflix