A new action-comedy film is delivering explosive stunts and laughs — but The Wrecking Crew director Ángel Manuel Soto says the real story is about family trauma, cultural identity, and the very real issue of displacement in Hawaii.
Soto sat down with Inside South Florida to discuss how he collaborated with stunt coordinators to build the film's emotional core, why he cast local Hawaiian talent like Jason Momoa and Jacob Batalon, and how his own background as a Puerto Rican filmmaker shaped his approach to the story.
Action as a path to healing
The Wrecking Crew centers on two brothers — played by Momoa and Dave Bautista — trying to solve a mystery, but their relationship is defined by unresolved childhood trauma. Soto says the action sequences were designed to reflect that emotional baggage.
"I've had the privilege of working with John Valera in the past. He did the stunt choreography and coordination for Blue Beetle, and from the get-go, we've always had an open line of communication," Soto said.
"For us, we understood that while it's an action comedy of two brothers trying to solve this mystery, it was also a story about two brothers dealing with childhood trauma. So in their own toxicity and their own masculinity, they didn't know any other way to have a conversation unless they beat it out of each other," he said.
He pointed to the final fight between the brothers as a turning point.
"That last fight between them was very cathartic, because it needed to happen between them in order for them to tear down those walls and have an open conversation that leads them on the path to healing," he said.
A 'cultural scout' in Hawaii
Soto, who has spoken openly about how his Latino identity shapes his storytelling, says it was critical to approach the film's Hawaiian setting with respect and authenticity.
"Our writer, Jonathan Tropper, already did a really good job including the beats where the Hawaiian culture will shine. And for me, it was very important that when we do a location scout in a different culture, we don't just go there, see locations and leave," he said.
Instead, he conducted what he calls a "cultural scout."
"We need to be exposed to how they feel, how they talk, what are their nuances, and let them be the ones dictating how they want to see themselves. We were very lucky to be surrounded by cultural advisors and spiritual advisors continuously that kept us in line," he said.
Casting local talent and speaking Pidgin
Authenticity also meant casting actors with deep ties to Hawaii, including Momoa and Batalon.
"Not only is Jason from Hawaii, but also Jacob Batalon. That's one of the reasons why we cast Jacob — because one, I've always wanted to work with him, I think he's hilarious. But the other one is because he's Hawaiian, I wanted his character to be able to speak Pidgin correct. Like, no translation. Doesn't matter. That's how they talk. This is for your people," Soto said.
The approach is already resonating with local audiences.
"I had a conversation yesterday with a kid from Hawaii who saw the film, and he was like, 'Man, it's so good to see a movie that... actually told the story of communities where I am from,'" he said.
Shining a light on displacement
The film also tackles the issue of displacement and gentrification — a theme Soto says connects deeply with his own experiences in Puerto Rico. To capture that reality, he chose to film a key scene in an actual Hawaiian camp.
"When the brothers drive their motorcycles to the camp, I wanted to shoot that scene in a real camp with real Hawaiians. So everybody that's around in the potluck, they are actually people that live in that community, which is often invisible when the cameras turn around," he said.
"As you drive in, you don't know that there's a camp there until you actually land in there. And we wanted to bring visibility to that community, especially as it talked about an issue that we experience in Puerto Rico, which is displacement and gentrification," he said.
"The Wrecking Crew" is available to stream now on Prime Video.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
