disbelief suspension

behind the scenes of an action sequence, it takes a gaggle of doubles to comprise one character. identically dressed substitutes congregate off camera, calmly awaiting their call to arms. depending on what's required, the swiss army crew is interchangeable, enlisting the martial arts expert for a fight sequence, the stunt performer for a pratfall, or a stooge with no skill other than the ability to stand still for reverse angles, like me.

from afar, the crew of utility replacements are convincing copies of the original, but upon closer examination, the subtleties are apparent. for instance, the lead actress has up to four mirror images, each wearing a matching wig and dress. peering at the shoulders under the string straps, something isn't kosher: a muscular masculine frame. along with heavy make-up and mammary inserts, men approximate the character with grotesque results. i'd pity the demoralized professionals, but i remind myself that their salaries are more than sufficient.

each actor's combat surrogates are typically asian men, which gives the impression of a chinese version of the film. aside from physical prowess, a lack of body hair allows less maintenance when swapping for the opposite gender. two weeks of extensive choreography footage, including harnesses and wires and crash mats, translates into thirty seconds of edited screen time. in the final close-up at the end of the sequence, the actress appears breathing heavily, apparently from the long trip from her trailer.