Filming

The film was shot on a 53-day schedule. Exterior filming location was mostly set in Kolekole, Hawaii. Filming started on September 28, 2009.

The film wrapped up its 22-day shoot on the Hawaii location on November 1, 2009. The film shot its interior set scenes at Robert Rodriguez's studio in Austin, Texas.

60% of the film was shot in Texas in order to be eligible for a tax benefit. The film shot more exterior footage at Canyon Lake Gorge in Comal County.

"It was a blast. It was an amazing experience. We were in the tropical rainforests of Hawaii stomping through the mud and getting rained on all day and then we ended up finishing in Austin, Texas.

I really think this movie is going to be good. They had cut together a trailer while we were still working and it looked amazing.

It's a great cast and along with the action elements and the sci-fi elements, and with Robert Rodriguez being involved, I think it's going to push it to another level." . . . Actor Mahershalalhashbaz Ali

Excerpts and References:
wikipedia.org, imdb.com

ISABELLE (to Royce): Hey, we need to rest.

ROYCE: So rest.

ISABELLE: You look like you could use it too. . . You got a name?

ROYCE: Look, I'm sorry, you want to play scout leader? Great. Now you want to follow me? Fine, but I'm not doing this. I'm better on my own.

ISABELLE: You want to see something fucked up?

Isabelle places a piece of metal and a leaf in water, it spins in circular motion non-stop.

ROYCE: Well between that and the sun, I'd say we have a real problem.

ISABELLE: What about the sun?

ROYCE: It hasn't moved since we got here.

ISABELLE: What do you think is really going on?

ROYCE: What do I think? (looking at the others) Spetsnaz, Alpha group. Mazetta Cartel enforcer, IUF death squad from Sierre Leone, Yakuza from the Maguwo kind, the FBI's most wanted, (looking at Edwin) . . . and him. They're all heavy hitters, he doesn't belong.

ISABELLE: Belong to what?

ROYCE: Well, I'd say we were chosen.

ISABELLE: What about you?

ROYCE: What about me?

ISABELLE: You know the jungle, all the players. I'm guessing ex-military, Black Ops. Probably a mercenary.

ROYCE: You got a problem with that?

ISABELLE: Not at the moment.

ROYCE: Good.

In the jungle they find an empty cage with a parachute draped over it. The take up defensive positions as Hanzo advances to uncover the cage. Debris and insects are all that remain.

ISABELLE: Something was dropped here . . . same as us.

MOMBASA: Not the same as us.

ISABELLE (to Royce): You said we were chosen. Chosen for what?

Royce doesn't answer. Stans looks up into the trees and notices something.

STANS: Oh shit.

They all look up into the trees and see more empty cages.

As they travel further, Mombasa trips on a ground vine and falls.

STANS: Looking good there, boss.

They stumble into a series of traps set by an unknown soldier. Isabelle falls into a pit with sharp spikes at the bottom, she's hanging onto a branch and is slipping. Royce races to her and pulls her out.

ISABELLE: Twelve o'clock. 110 meters.

ROYCE: Take him . . . Take him!

ISABELLE: I don't have to. . . Don't have to.

MOMBASA: We triggered a dead man's trap

EDWIN: It's two weeks . . . judging from the rate of decomposition.

NIKOLAI: He took up position here, shooting in all directions. This was a last stand.

Nikolai removes and ID pouch from the dead soldier.

NIKOLAI: United States Special Forces. This is strange . . .

STANS: What's he doing setting traps for us?

ROYCE: They weren't meant for us . . . he was hunting something else. Something a lot bigger.

EDWIN: Bigger?

ROYCE: The trunk was a dead fall. Rule of thumb with a dead fall is you set the weight five times that of the target animal. Whatever it was, it got through the trip wires and did this. . . . . Let's move.

They move on, but Mombasa pauses, staring in the trees, he senses something. We see Mombasa and Isabelle from a Predator's view.

ISABELLE: What is it, what do you see?

After a beat, he disregards it.

MOMBASA: Nothing.