Director Renny Harlin’s latest film 5 Days of War, starring Andy Garcia and Val Kilmer, deals with the 2008 war between Georgia and Russia. During production, it was reported that Russian spies and double agents were on the set. “It was definitely a unique and nerve-wracking environment but at the same time very emotional, because we are shooting in real locations using real people who just went through this war,” Harlin told Uinterview exclusively. “So you could see the physical scars on them, and you could see the emotion in their eyes.”

Harlin, whose greatest success came with Die Hard 2, acknowledged the challenges that came with directing a war film in which he received the assistance of the Georgian military. “I think the big battle scenes and the big scenes with a lot of extras and a lot of explosions were the most challenging because it’s very dangerous. You have fighter jets dropping bombs and helicopters shooting rockets and buildings exploding and thousands of people battling and running through it and so on. Those scenes are very dangerous to do and it’s a big responsibility for the director while you’re trying to tell the most possibly exciting story for the audience you also have to be responsible for people and their health.”

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User Matthew Zingg
Q: I read an article in the New York Times that said there were Russian spies and double agents poking around the movie set. I was wondering how this affected the mood. Were you scared, nervous, or even a little excited?   - Matthew Zingg

I must say that I didn’t worry about the Russians, but I was aware of the Russians and there were a lot rumors on the set that there were double agents on our sets because we were just a few miles from the border of Russia and we were telling a story that happened less than a year before we started filming. So there was definitely tension in the air in those terms and there were days when we were supposed to use fighter jets and dozens of tanks and all of a sudden we’d get a message saying “It’s not going to happen today.” So we imagined that maybe the Russians were looking at their satellites and saying “Why are there 80 tanks next to the border? We don’t like that,” and they sent a message saying “Stop it.” So it was definitely a unique and nerve-wracking environment but at the same time very emotional, because we are shooting in real locations using real people who just went through this war. So you could see the physical scars on them, and you could see the emotion in their eyes.

User angela bunt
Q: What are some of the challenges in directing such a large-scale action war film like “Five Days of War?” How does it compare to something like “Die Hard 2” or “The Long Kiss Goodnight?”   - angela bunt

I think the big battle scenes and the big scenes with a lot of extras and a lot of explosions were the most challenging, because it’s very dangerous. You have fighter jets dropping bombs and helicopters shooting rockets and buildings exploding and thousands of people battling and running through it and so on. Those scenes are very dangerous to do and it’s a big responsibility for the director while you’re trying to tell the most possibly exciting story for the audience you also have to be responsible for people and their health.