An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machine can be quite scary to those who suffer from claustrophobia, so maybe it makes some sense that one of the notoriously cramped diagnostic devices will lend its name to a new high intensity martial arts action movie with The Raid star Iko Uwais now cast in the lead role (via Variety).
Simply titled MRI, the movie puts Uwais in the role of a hospital patient who checks in for a routine scan of his hurt knee when a gang of killers invades the hospital in search of a rival crime boss' daughter. Uwais' protagonist will have to employ his expansive martial arts skills to save her, despite his painfully injured knee making it all the more difficult.
MRI will be directed by Liam O'Donnell, best known for his sharks vs. orcas movie Alphas, from a screenplay by Russell Hairline.
"Iko's sheer charisma, soulful depth and insane work ethic makes him every director’s dream," O’Donnell tells Variety. "After such a great experience with Strong Island on Alphas, I felt MRI would be the perfect project for us all to take things to the next level."
Iko Uwais does indeed seem like the perfect actor to take on the role of a viciously skilled hero taking on a building full of brutally effective opponents against all odds, an archetype he plays to perfection in Gareth Edwards' The Raid films and other high-octane fight thrillers.
No release date has yet been announced for MRI. While we wait, check out our picks for the 25 best action movies to get your blood pumping.
