A dream job: Director Nimród Antal at the helm of 'Retribution' with Liam Neeson, Matthew Modine

Aug. 24—Nimród Antal enjoys bringing stories to life.

It's why he became a filmmaker.

Antal's latest production is a dream project, as he got to work with Liam Neeson in the feature film, "Retribution." The film is released in theaters on Friday, Aug. 25.

"Liam Neeson is a rock star," Antal says. "So it was really a blessing to work with someone as talented and as passionate and focused as he was. I tend to thrive in these confined spaces, and I enjoy accepting the challenge of how do you cinematically keep this thing on the rails? And how do you keep the viewers engaged? And how do you give the audience something, maybe a little bit more than what they were expecting?"

"Retribution" stars Neeson as Matt Turner.

When a mysterious caller puts a bomb under his car seat, Turner begins a high-speed chase across the city to complete a specific series of tasks.

With his kids trapped in the back seat and a bomb that will explode if they get out of the car, a normal commute becomes a twisted game of life or death as Turner follows the stranger's increasingly dangerous instructions in a race against time to save his family.

Starring in the film alongside Neeson is Matthew Modine — another dream come true for Antal.

"We are talking about two men that I have been a fan of before I ever had an opportunity to be a colleague," he says of both the actors. "They say you don't want to meet your heroes, but, you know, sometimes you do. With Matthew and Liam, there's an incredible warmth between them, but you're also dealing with two kings of the craft. It's pretty magical for me. When I have people of this caliber, it elevates my game and makes me very conscientious when it comes to my role. These guys really do hear what directors are saying. So I'm always very cautious as to what I'm saying."

Making "Retribution" took Antal back to when he was just 15 years old, working in a movie theater and watching "Memphis Belle."

"That was my first experience of Matthew," Antal says. "To be working with him now is a bit surreal. When I was younger, I remember my father being a bit concerned about me because I'd seen 'Full Metal Jacket' maybe seven times at the theater. He didn't think it was normal!"

Antal says many of the scenes were challenges because he wanted to keep upping the thrills within the movie.

This was his second time working with Modine, though, as he worked with him on "Stranger Things." Antal had also spent some time in New Mexico working on the series.

"Stranger Things" had been a responsibility that Antal and Modine both treated with respect. "Matthew, of course, had been there from the beginning. I, on the other hand, was a guest coming into someone's home," he says. "I wanted to ensure I was serving this series in the way it deserved."

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