John Stratton (Cooper) of MI6’s Special Boat Services (SBS) has his espionage cut out for him—tracking down an international terrorist with sensitive biochemical intel, all in the midst of starting his own action-hero franchise.

Based on the semi-autobiographical, eight-part book series by ex-SBS operator Duncan Falconer, Stratton is an ambitious take on the espionage film with the intention to capture “the britishness of Bond and relatability of Bourne.” Helmed by action mogul Simon West (Con Air, Expendables 2), the action sequences are sure to live up to Stratton‘s intended predecessors.

In this exclusive clip for MovieMaker, MI6 head Sumner (Connie Nielsen) briefs Stratton and Agent Cummings (Felton) on the gravity of stakes in tracking down the dangerous Soviet-agent-gone-rogue, central antagonist Grigory Barovsky (Thomas Kretschmann).

While Stratton is based on a real historical terrorist attack in London, West wanted to make the setting contemporary to better appeal to modern audiences. Nonetheless, West thought it important to capture the reality of Falconer’s experiences. “I was constantly probing him for [stories and details, some of which] he doesn’t think are particularly exciting or interesting because he has done them as his job,” West said. “So he’d say something and I would say we had to put it in the film… It’s his everyday job so he doesn’t think it’s very special necessarily. But someone in the SBS does some very unusual and incredible things all over the world, underwater, out of airplanes, everywhere.” MM

Stratton is now showing in select theaters and available On Demand and Digital HD. Top image courtesy of Momentum Pictures. 

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