Coming to select theaters tomorrow is the ultra-violent, apocalyptic thriller, The Divide starring Michael Biehn, Rosanna Arquette, Lauren German and Milo Ventimiglia. The film, which details a group of strangers’ slide into madness inside of a fallout shelter represents Xavier Gen’s return to the independent (and unrated) style of Frontier(S) after a brief flirtation with Hollywood that resulted in Hitman.  This is not a film for the squeamish.  But if you like your paranoia thrillers with a side of sanguine and viscera and/or have been following the new wave of grotesque yet artful French Horror, The Divide will not disappoint.

Last week I sat down with Biehn to discuss the film.  During the interview he described how the contentious mood on set bettered the film, explained what he would do in a worst-case scenario, mused about why people enjoy watching hardcore films like The Divide and more.  Hit the jump for the interview.

Michael Biehn

  • Biehn discusses how Xavier Gen’s openness to reworking characters from the ground up convinced him and how the semi-improvisational mood of the set created conflict between the actors.
  • 2:35 – 3:00 Biehn discusses the history of his character Mickey and how the character’s experiences as a firefighter on 9/11 affected his choices during the film.
  • 3:00 – 3:20 Biehn discusses his apocalypse plans.
  • 3:20 – 5:06 Biehn muses on why audiences love movies about horrific subjects.
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