Florian Munteanu has been making a name for himself in the film world by playing a series of brutish figures in big Hollywood blockbusters. You likely know him as either Shang Chi’s villainous Razor Fist or the Creed franchise’s Viktor Drago, but before all of the glitz and glamour of the silver screen, he was a professional boxer. Given his fighting past and his hulking physique, it’s no wonder that his characters tend to throw hands, but what happens when such an actor can’t see while shooting their fight scenes? Apparently that was exactly the case for his 2024 movie Borderlands, and I’m terrified for his costars.
I recently spoke to Florian Munteanu on behalf of Borderlands, and when discussing his character Krieg’s iconic mask, he revealed that it was even more of a hindrance than I would have imagined:
I was sweating, I wasn't really seeing anything, the mask was moving when I was moving, it was tough. Also because Krieg brings a lot of brutality to the table. And the fighting scenes had to be on point. And fighting in a movie is very different than fighting in real life. You know, you can't hit the people in front of you… You have to have a clear vision and control the distance. And that was the problematic thing with the mask, because it really tainted my vision. But, you know, you find ways to make it work. You push through, as always, and I think we nailed it.
It must be hard to pull your punches when you can’t see what you’re punching! The cast is lucky that they didn’t end up with any black eyes. Or more accurately, Florian Munteanu is lucky that he didn’t knock out any A-listers. The Borderlands cast is ridiculous, being led by the likes of Cate Blanchett and Kevin Hart.
The latter of the two received some backlash after landing the role of soldier Roland, but Munteanu assured me that Kevin Hart will surprise fans with his portrayal. Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis signed on when she heard that Blanchett was attached, and Jack Black has been hyping his role as the iconic robot Claptrap for over a year. The point is, Florian Munteanu’s impractical mask could have put everyone in danger given that his arms are lethal weapons, but as he put it, they found a way to “make it work.”
Thank goodness it was a positive experience for Munteanu, because the future looks bright for him. There’s rumors of a developing Drago spinoff film, and he assured me that an upcoming project will see the actor step outside of his typical role of a shirtless brute, testing his acting skills in something that he referred to as “indie.” There’s nothing wrong with back-to-back blockbusters this early in one’s career, but if he’s in it for the long haul, and it seems that he is, he’ll need to show off those chops in a way that audiences haven’t seen.
You can see Borderlands in theaters right now! Our own Eric Eisenberg has effectively conveyed his opinion for CinemaBlend's Borderlands review, but I say that you listen to Cate Blanchette’s PSA and develop your own. As for everything else hitting the box office in 2024, we’ll keep you updated.
