Abhiroop Das
Helmed by Martin Campbell, ‘Cleaner’ follows Joey Locke, a former soldier who now works as a window cleaner at the Agnian Energy Company skyscraper. One evening, her life is upturned as extremist climate activists infiltrate the gala organized at the company. They take control of the annual gala of a company specializing in energy and denounce the corruption that reigns there. Stranded mid-air against the facade of the skyscraper, Joey is an undetected witness to the dangerous events terrorizing the hostages inside.
Racing against time, the protagonist decides to take matters into her own hands and protect her brother, Michael, who is inside the building. The scope of her rescue mission quickly changes when the new leader’s true motives are revealed. This enthralling action thriller is brought to life by big names such as Daisy Ridley, Taz Sylar, and Clive Owen. The film, taking place in the financial district of London, United Kingdom, manages to capture the corruption of megacorporations and the real-life anxieties of climate activists.
Cleaner Filming Locations
‘Cleaner’ was primarily shot in England, particularly in London and Berkshire. Principal photography started in September 2023, with the production likely being completed sometime in 2024. Since the majority of the narrative is set in a single building, the filming itself is limited to a handful of locations, with the rest being recreated in clever set designs, with the director praising production designer Russell De Rozario for effectively using all the tools at his disposal to immerse the audience into the nail-biting story.
London, United Kingdom
At the heart of the film lies the Agnian Energy Company skyscraper, where the titular Cleaner, Joey, works. One Canada Square in Canary Wharf doubles up as the high-rise building in the movie. At 235 meters, it stands as one of the tallest buildings in the UK, primarily used for offices, with some retail units on the lower ground floor. In ‘Cleaner,’ many bird’s-eye view shots orient themselves around the exterior of this iconic London fixture, with VFX involved in the scenes where Daisy Ridley’s character is stranded in the cradle.
Director Martin Campbell elaborated in an interview with CBR that many of the scenes were shot practically from the correct height of the building. However, night sequences required clever workarounds. A significant chunk of the movie also takes place on the streets of London, with Joey and her brother running around the city, desperate to make it to work. Later, the ground also serves as the base for the police operation against the hijacking. All these scenes were seemingly shot practically, showcasing the city’s bustling population and urban life, which provided a realistic backdrop for the intense sequences.
Berkshire, United Kingdom
For many of the controlled indoor sequences, the team moved to Winnersh Film Studios, a reputed boutique production facility at 1020 Eskdale Road in the town of Wokingham in Berkshire. The studio, slated to shut down, is no stranger to Hollywood, having been provided the sets for famous titles like Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, and The Boys in the Boat. Some scenes from ‘Cleaner’, possibly shot in the studio, include the hijacking operation inside the gala and the fights in the pipeline chamber. The studio likely provided ‘Cleaner’ with a host of intricately crafted sets, executing both the film’s artistic vision and allowing for the smooth execution of its complex action sequences.
Read More: Cleaner: Is Agnian Energy a Real Company? Is Earth Revolution a Real Activist Group?
