The Big Picture

George Nolfi’s
Elevation
features intense horror with strong performances from Anthony Mackie, Morena Baccarin, and Maddie Hasson.
Despite the horror, filming had lighthearted moments, as Hasson tells Collider, with practical effects leading to laughter on set among the cast.
Hasson reveals how her character Katie offers depth and complexity, balancing independence and emotional struggles.

In the ever-expanding realm of horror movies, few thrills and chills match the gut-wrenching suspense of a sharp and thoughtful creature feature. But as luck would have it, George Nolfi’s latest film Elevation dives right into the deep end with its cast led by Anthony Mackie, Morena Baccarin, and Maddie Hasson. While the former are household names thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Hasson’s fresh intensity brings a spirited energy to the apocalypse genre. Known for some very layered indie film performances, her character Katie is not only the anchor that fights to keep everyone alive but shows us that the actress is more than ready to take on the weight of blockbuster-type horror with such heavyweights.

Set against the unforgiving Rocky Mountains, the story follows a small band of survivors who venture into monster-filled terrain to save the son of Mackie’s character, Will. In a world where humanity is forced to be confined in the mountains to escape deadly creatures lurking below 8,000 feet, Katie’s determination to keep the group alive becomes a key force in their battle for survival. But the role, filled with tense action and terrifying sequences, wasn’t all doom and gloom for the rising star. Sharing the screen with Mackie and Baccarin led to unforgettable moments on-set, from mastering intense stunts to laughing through creature scenes that were both terrifying and hilarious.

Those ‘Elevation’ Horror Scenes Were a Different Kind of Shoot
“It was very different on the day than it is in the movie.”

In a film as intense and frightening as Elevation with giant creatures, it’s hard to imagine there would be any lighthearted moments. But for Hasson, sharing the screen with Mackie and Baccarin led to that exact thing. Despite some very strenuous shoots that led to lots of running uphill as shared by her co-stars with Collider, Hasson also fondly recalls how they all found moments to laugh at, especially with some of the film’s more elaborate creature effects.

Describing a scene in the mines, she recounts the hilarity of Nolfi trying to create a more practical effect to heighten the film’s tension that left Hasson and Baccarin in stitches. “Morena and I couldn’t keep our shit together,” she laughs, explaining how these moments brought levity to long, exhausting filming days. “There is this scene where we’re in the mines, and we’re all tucked against this wall, and the creature’s tentacle comes in, and George, bless him, had this practical tentacle with a light on the end. We kept laughing because it would come up to our faces, and the guy that was the puppeteer of it was doing a great job.”

Related Maddie Hasson on the “Crazy Weird” Things She Did for the Psychological Thriller ‘Fixation’ Director Mercedes Bryce Morgan also details the mind-bending production design featured in the film.

Beyond the laughter though, Hasson tells Collider that working alongside Mackie and Baccarin offered her insights into the creative process for large-scale productions — something she was unfamiliar with having come from more indie releases. “They both have experience in these grander productions that I don’t have yet, and it takes a different kind of stamina and a different kind of acting process and creativity than, say, an independent movie, which is something that I’m more used to, would take. It was interesting to watch their approach to the scenes and to just kind of observe and then say to myself, ‘What am I going to take from that? And what of that doesn’t necessarily work for my style?’”

‘Elevation’ Offers Strong Layers Thanks to Its Characters
“She is a really independent person who wants more for herself than being stuck on top of this mountaintop.”

While Hasson praises Mackie and Baccarin for being “so funny and so wonderful,” their off-screen camaraderie influences a large part of their on-screen dynamic. For Katie, survival in Elevation’s post-apocalyptic world is driven by a mix of personal desire and the need to protect her makeshift family with Will and her son. But as Hasson shares, Katie is also “down bad” and “so into” Will — like “most of the men” she jokes, who are also “emotionally unavailable.” Despite such feelings that might complicate their mission, her sense of independence and yearning for freedom is just as strong.

“She is a really independent person who wants more for herself than being stuck on top of this mountaintop,” Hasson explains while speaking to Katie’s complex motivations. “In the past in her life, she’s gone through times where she’s felt trapped, and she’s feeling that again, and I can imagine it must be really triggering for her. She’s just trying to claw her way out to some sort of new freedom.”

Hasson Teases ‘Hell’ for ‘The Recruit’ Season 2
“You can expect that she makes his life a living hell.”
Image via Netflix

As fans of Netflix’s The Recruit eagerly await the return of the espionage thriller on the streaming platform, Hasson teases her character Karolina will be making a more prominent mark on Owen Hendricks’ journey. While Season 1 saw Owen (Noah Centineo) thrown into a whirlwind of political intrigue and danger, the sophomore entry from the adventurous masterminds of Doug Liman and David Bartis promises more chaos with Karolina at the center of it all. While chatting about the second season, Hasson teased that her character will continue to be a formidable force on the series, especially as she joins as a series regular.

“I think you can expect that she makes his life a living hell,” she laughs. As fans recall, Season 1 ended with a cliffhanger that left audiences wondering about the fate of Max Meladze (Laura Haddock), with the continuing tension between Karolina and Owen taking center stage. While Karolina didn’t have much screen time in the first season, her dramatic entrance in the finale sets the stage for her to become one of Owen’s most dangerous challenges.

Elevation is now in theaters.

n the post-apocalyptic Rockies, a father and two women risk their lives by facing monstrous creatures to save a young boy.

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