Aaron Eckhart and Jesse V. Johnson on Grit, Guns, and Thieves Highway

Jesse V. Johnson, renowned for his work in action cinema, teams up once again with Aaron Eckhart in Thieves Highway, a tense thriller centred on a determined lawman facing off against cattle thieves. The film, marked by its unvarnished style and uncompromising action, offers a fresh take on a classic genre, with Johnson’s signature touch evident throughout.

Reviving the Action Genre

When asked about the current resurgence of B-movie action, Johnson remarked,

I don’t think the films that people want to watch are being made by the studios, and I think we’re filling a vacuum — a void which people want to see. You know, people keep complaining about no one going to the movie theatres. If you’re making films that are unappealing, you’re going to have that problem. And they had that problem in the ‘50s. They had that problem in the early ‘60s. They had it in the late ‘70s, where the studios thought they knew what the audiences wanted, and they were wrong.

He went on to highlight the importance of filmmakers who operate outside the mainstream, noting that such directors often create the stories audiences truly crave.

Eckhart, reflecting on his own approach, shared,

I live under a rock, I don’t know too much, but I just like making movies. It’s funny because you make a comparison between theatre acting and film acting and all this, and I don’t know what that means. You’ve just got to be truthful. You go out there, no matter what size of a movie or whatever it is, and you’ve just got to go out and be truthful. Give it all.

He emphasised the value of authenticity and the satisfaction of working on productions that allow for a hands-on, realistic approach.

Action, Authenticity, and Collaboration

Discussing his recent focus on action roles, Eckhart admitted,

I mean, I’m just getting older, and I’m lucky to be still walking, so as long as I can throw a punch and drive a car and all that sort of stuff, I feel like I’m lucky, and if somebody is going to hire me and pay me to do that. Also, a few years back, I decided to make movies that I was going to have fun in; that me, personally, when I went to set, I was going to have fun. And that’s what I’m making now. I have a blast doing these.

He noted the creative freedom and enjoyment found in smaller-scale productions, especially when working with passionate collaborators like Johnson.

Johnson, recalling their previous project, Chief of Station, praised Eckhart’s commitment and skill, particularly in physically demanding scenes.

Now, I’ve been around stunts for 40 years — that sounds awful, makes me sound a lot older than I am, I started at 14 — so I’ve seen a precision driver, and I know the science behind that and the practice that has to go with it. And Aaron is one of the very best with physical action; he’s so good at it. It’s a joy to work with him.

Johnson also revealed that Eckhart’s prowess with firearms is highly regarded within the industry, with trainers considering him among the best in Hollywood.

Discipline, Realism, and the Modern Audience

Eckhart’s dedication to his craft extends to daily training in martial arts and weapons handling.

Well, I train every day, so I just trained today. Today, I’m doing Kali sticks because I’m going to be doing a movie Kali fighting. But I like to fight. I like to fight train. I like to make it feel real. And that’s why shooting, driving, all that sort of stuff is important. I think with these movies, you can’t rely on a stuntman to do it. You have to be in there and doing it yourself. It saves time and money, and that’s a big deal, but also sometimes, you look at the stunt guys and they’re great and everything but you go, “I could do that, so I’m gonna go try that.”

Johnson added that today’s audiences, well-versed in the nuances of action through games and online content, expect a level of authenticity that cannot be faked.

They watch YouTube videos. They play video games where this stuff is highlighted and explained. They’re connoisseurs of guns and tactics and physical action and martial arts through UFC. So, their heroes on screen, they can’t fake it like Randolph Scott did. You can’t fake the gunshot, and the guy dies in the next frame. They want to see the tactics and the training behind that.

He likened Eckhart’s commitment to that of Tom Cruise, noting the rare dedication required to deliver convincing action on screen. The result, Johnson believes, is palpable in Thieves Highway, where the physicality and realism are front and centre.

Moral Complexity and Universal Themes

Eckhart has often portrayed characters who begin as upholders of the law but are forced into moral grey areas by systemic failures. He explained,

Well, I think I’ll try to put it a different way than that, which is a lawman who wants to abide the law but is driven to break the law because of a moral code because the law has deserted him. Because the law has become corrupt. And I don’t want to say anything bad, but I think there’s a fine line between a lawman and a criminal a lot of times, and I think that we see that in society today. It’s a violent vocation, and sometimes when you’re fighting for what you believe in, you have to go all in on it.

He is drawn to stories about corruption, coercion, and control, themes that resonate throughout his work.

On making the film’s subject matter relatable, Eckhart observed,

Well, these are universal issues. They’re iconic. The idea of somebody’s livelihood being stolen from them. He is counting on that money, counting on all of his hard work paying off for him. The idea that people who cannot take for themselves if not for theft and thievery, and that gets under a man’s skin after a while.

Johnson echoed this sentiment, pointing out the real-world struggles of small farmers and the sense of abandonment many feel.

And I think everyone feels that to a degree in life — that things are happening that they don’t have any control over, and the little man is constantly being crushed in favour of corporations and oligarchs and huge name brands. And in the meantime, the mom and pop farms are just being obliterated, destroyed by this awful crime.