Too true, Jean Claude van Damme inTimecop.

But its better than six, I guess, so lets be thankful for that.

We caught up with him at The London Film Museum (an incredible venue.

Check it out at once!)

to talk Russell Crowe, mainstream Hollywood and the legendary Brian Dennehy.

I just wondered how much thats representative of you as a filmmaker too.

I imagine it must have been a daunting task making this film.

Yeah, and in fact we had those images on my wall while I was planning the piece.

And they had an impact.

The idea of making a movie is just as overwhelming as the idea of breaking someone out of jail.

Not really, but just about.

[laughs]

Its all the particular aspects you have to keep an eye on while youre doing it.

And you have to remember the purpose of doing it, while youve got all that going on.

And you seem to get lost in it.

And did it feel like the most difficult film youve made?

Because it has a few big action scenes in it.

I had a good crew and I had a decent amount of time.

It was not easy, but it wasnt as hard asCrash.

Does that appeal to you, the action side of things?

Would you go further than this, direct a Bond film, perhaps?

I love action, I love suspense, so Id look forward to tackling something larger.

It just has to have a good emotional core, doesnt it, you know?

And youve said elsewhere that for your next film you want to go a bit darker.

But I thought this film was quite dark.

Did you not feel that it was?

I think its the light and dark, the play back and forth.

Its the hope and the betrayal.

Iits the trust and what happens as a result.

You put Russell Crowes character through the wringer and take him to quite a low ebb.

To such an extent that I began to think, Whats he going to do?

Whats going to happen next?

When you were writing it, did you feel like that?

The whole process was a discovery, right from the beginning of the film.

It was based on a French film.

How he was going to break out?

How would he think about this?

So, I started researching the prison.

How would he get out?

How does he escape?

And then Id start to think, Well, now hes out, so what does he do?

Well, Id run across the street and Id walk down the stairs.

Ooh, whats this, its a tube station.

Lets hop on this.

So, it was literally that.

What would you do if these were the circumstances?

And what price would you pay?

What would you be willing to do once you start changing into someone who could do this thing?

And so, that influenced how I structured the film.

Theres a real father-son theme that comes across in all your films.

In this one youve got a great father, Brian Dennehy.

Did he take much convincing?

Because hes got , what, two lines?

I thought Brian wouldnt do it.

Ive always wanted to work with him.

But I thought Id offer it to him anyway and if he turns me down well do something else.

But he said, No, Id love to do it.

And Im so glad he did.

He brought such a depth to that character.

Was there any nervousness in approaching him?

Do you have that at all, because youve also got Russell Crowe on board as well.

Do you ever get nervous meeting actors or do you take it in your stride?

And youve said you would like to work with Russell Crowe again.

Yes, I would.

What was it about him?

Was it a good working relationship?

And he was on set almost all the time.

Hes a real workhorse.

My respect for him grew through the whole process.

[laughs] I hate everything to do with it.

And then, of course, I do it.

People force me to do it.

My producer does, and thank God.

I just want to get to start shooting.

But, of course, I get there and nothings planned out.

What happened to this?

They say, Well, Paul, you didnt tell us about that stuff, did you?

So, Ive learned to do a lot of prep.

But I just hate it.

But you produce your films as well.

That must help you get your own way?

Oh, yeah, I get my own way.

[laughs] But its like letting everybody know what you want.

Get it from my head and provide these props and the setting and this colour.

Without ever having to tell them.

[laughs]

So, I sometimes have to be specific.

And youve mentioned this is quite a mainstream film for you.

No, no,I like going dark.

I dont mind doing that.

I like to surprise people.

I like to subvert expectations.

If people expect me to do one thing, I like to do something else.

Im contrary in that way.

Mr Paul Haggis, thank you very much.

The Next Three Daysis released on Wednesday 5thJanuary.