Those simple lines of dialogue spew innocently and chillingly from Ryan Gostling in his second collaboration with Director Nicolas Winding Refn. In 2011, mainstream audiences were widely introduced to Refn with DRIVE, in which Ryan Gostling plays a stunt driver, who, with a vast knowledge of cars moonlights as a professional escape route for criminals, thief's, and would be bad guys. You know the story; if you don't here's a taste.
Drive was a hit with critics and audiences alike and now the duo of Gosling and Refn are a bonafide hit! This brings us to their second collaboration: Only God Forgives, feast your eyes.
The two words that come to mind after watching this are "violent fairytale". The trailer for Only God Forgives is, emotionally, colorfully, and with the few lines of dialogue it let's go, setting us up for potentially one of the most unique revenge tales of which I am completely on board for. Director Nicolas Winding Refn and his muse Gosling unfortunately received boos and scathing reviews from this year's Cannes attendees. However, negative reviews aside the sort of detached feel I get from this trailer really has me amped up for it.
Gosling plays Julian, a respected figure in the criminal underworld of Bangkok, runs a Thai Boxing club and smuggling ring with his brother Billy. Billy is suddenly murdered and their crime family matriarch, Crystal arrives from London to bring back the body. When she forces Julian to settle the score with his brother's killers, Julian finds himself in the ultimate showdown.While watching this trailer I was struck with the thought: if Bruce Lee were alive today or his son Brandon; would this be something up their alley? Right?
The color palette here is balls out amazing, it adds another layer to the emotion of the trailer. Red's, purples, neon lights make it feel like some fucked up version of OZ. The half covered faces in shadows really make you aware to the fact that that our hero could be or is just as evil as our villain. So who are you really rooting for? The motivation or lack thereof of each character in this trailer pushes to the limit wether or not we do or care for anyone one here. Bold yes, but it could also mean a dull flick at the same time. Here's hoping its balanced well. The music again is done by Cliff Martinez and is childish, yet creepy and the cut aways to some of the violence happening here are gruesome. On a technical scale this is truly a master at work for that I'm sure I will be grateful to fork over some cash.
Now, will you like it? I'll be honest with you, Refn's films; Pusher, Valhalla Rising, Bronson, and Drive all are very very different, like crazily different. So I would say see all those movies, but at the same time nothing expect for a uniqueness of his style of change will stay the same. This is definitely a guy who loves sub-text; the dialogue underneath the dialogue. It's not for everyone I get it but give it a shot. There are some awesome revenge movies a float in cinema, even if you end up hating this movie the fact that you'll be talking about it means its done its job. We need more movies like that.
I want to see this movie, I am looking forward to it. But in all honesty part of of me is wondering if I'll enjoy it more if I completely hate it. Odd I know, but the mind plays funny tricks. The movie also co-stars Kristin Scott Thomas. Wether your a fan of conventional revenge or just really wacky fucked up revenge; this is definitely going to fall some where in there.
I encourage you all to meet the devil in theaters July 19, 2013.
Deuces!
StuntmanBob
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