Dave Bautista opened up about his 2019 action comedy movie sporting a 43% on Rotten Tomatoes, saying he’ll defend it “to my death.” Bautista’s best action movies include franchise films like Dune and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, he has some that weren’t as critically well-received. One of these is Stuber, a buddy cop film he starred in opposite Kumail Nanjiani.
In an interview with ScreenRant‘s Grant Hermanns for his new action-thriller Trap House, Bautista explained how he would always defend Stuber despite its mixed-to-negative critical reception. The actor explained how he contacted director Michael Dowse to lead the movie after it lost its original director, praising him for how he crafted the film despite its overall reception:
Our director, Michael Dowse, really delivered. I want to give him credit, not only because I love him, but I’ve worked with him before. I did a film called Stuber with him, and I will go to my death saying that is an underrated film. I’m super proud of that film. But he saved us. He stepped in a couple weeks before we were supposed to start filming because we lost our director. I made a personal call to Michael, and I said, “We are in a bad jam. Can you help us out?” And he jumped all over it. Literally, I think he was on a plane the next day, helping us with pre-production, going over the script, making changes, and making things better. Michael Dowse, who I love and respect, is very talented. He’s just a boss. This guy comes in, and he has a very clear vision. He knows what he’s doing. He’s experienced, and he’s also knows enough to be able to edit the film in his head as he’s going. I’m going to give him a lot of credit, and I want to work with him again. I just love him as a human being, and I have a lot of respect for him as a director.
Stuber follows an Uber driver named Stu Prasad (Nanjiani) whose latest passenger ends up being hot-headed LAPD officer Vic Manning (Bautista). Vic is tracking down a drug trafficker and cop killer, the pair becoming an unlikely duo as they form a bond with one another. While the actors’ chemistry was praised, criticism was aimed at the direction of the movie.
Stuber didn’t perform well at the box office either, earning $32.3 million against an $18 million budget. However, Bautista’s defense of the movie emphasizes some of its strong points, including the directing by Dowse. The filmmaker’s other work prior to the action comedy included 2013’s critically praised rom-com The F Word and the 2011 sports comedy Goon.
Bautista’s praise for Stuber emphasizes why he decided to work together with Dowse again on Trap House. In his latest movie, he stars as DEA agent Ray Seale, who is trying to stop his teenage son and his friends from robbing a major cartel. The action thriller’s unique premise echoes the same level of intrigue as the 2019 comedy, albeit with a more serious tone.
Stuber may not be as well-remembered as Bautista’s other action movies, but his multiple collaborations with Dowse coupled by the film’s chemistry getting critical praise signifies why he enjoyed the movie. It helps that its interesting premise makes it stand out from the many other action-centric movies he’s been in over the years, making it fully its own.
With Trap House now in theaters, Bautista can emphasize just how well he and Dowse work together through a more commanding performance. As for Stuber, it may not be one of the actor’s most popular films, but it does stand out among his lineup because of its premise and his own passion for the project, despite its negative critical reception.
- Release Date
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July 12, 2019
- Runtime
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105 minutes
- Director
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Michael Dowse
- Writers
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Tripper Clancy
