Nicolas Winding Refn’s follow-up to Drive is one of the most anticipated films of the year, and for good reason. Only God Forgives sees the writer-director reteaming with Ryan Gosling, and the few set photos we’ve seen so far suggest we’re in for another bloody and epic crime-thriller.
Craig was fortunate enough to see the press preview at Cannes last year – you can read his preview report here – and as you can imagine, he really liked what he saw.
We got our first look at the promo poster a few months back, and now the first footage from the film has surfaced in a teaser reel. The quality’s not brilliant, but we’ll take everything we can get from what will almost certainly be one of the best films of the year.
“Bangkok. Ten years ago Julian killed a cop and went on the run. Now he manages a Thai boxing club as a front for a drugs operation. Respected in the criminal underworld, deep inside, he feels empty.
When Julian’s brother murders a prostitute the police call on retired cop Chang – the Angel of Vengeance. Chang allows the father to kill his daughter’s murderer, then ‘restores order’ by chopping off the man’s right hand.
Julian’s mother Jenna – the head of a powerful criminal organization – arrives in Bangkok to collect her son’s body. She dispatches Julian to find his killers and ‘raise hell’.
Increasingly obsessed with the Angel of Vengeance, Julian challenges him to a boxing match, hoping that by defeating him he might find spiritual release… but Chang triumphs. A furious Jenna plots revenge and the stage is set for a bloody journey through betrayal and vengeance towards a final confrontation and the possibility of redemption.”
Winding Refn is directing from his own script, with Gosling starring alongside Kristin Scott Thomas, Yayaying, and Vithaya Pansringarm.
Only God Forgives is reportedly due to arrive on 23rd May, but there remains no official release date. We’re hoping that it will be getting its debut at Cannes, and head straight into cinemas. I can’t wait. For now, here’s the first teaser to help dip a toe in the water.
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