Reuniting Nicolas Winding Refn and Ryan Gosling following their masterful work on Drive, Only God Forgives has long been one of our most anticipated films of the year.
Following its debut at Cannes in the spring, the film is heading into US cinemas this month, and will be with us in the UK at the start of next month. And with its release date so close on both sides of the Atlantic, Lionsgate have released a brilliant new UK trailer.
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.
Gosling is once more front and centre as Julian, starring alongside Kristin Scott Thomas, Yayaying, and Vithaya Pansringarm.
Winding Refn is directing from his own script, with Lene Børglum (Valhalla Rising) serving as producer.
Only God Forgives will be released in the US in just over two weeks on July 19th, following shortly after in the UK on 2nd August. I can’t wait. This is sure to be one of the best films of the year.
[yframe url=’www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiSq-7QQDQg’]
