Home Entertainment Tom Hiddleston’s a fast learner in this new trailer for HIGH RISE

Tom Hiddleston’s a fast learner in this new trailer for HIGH RISE

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We won’t see Tom Hiddleston in action in any of the Marvel movies coming out this year, but he has been using the opportunity to do something different and more creative in director Ben Wheatley’s upcoming film, High Rise. Hiddleston plays a doctor named Robert Laing who moves into a high-end apartment building and starts to get seduced by the luxurious life style in this part of the tower. The film though sees tension rising between the classes, as the poorer lower levels are not happy with the privilege given to the upper class higher levels and Laing finds himself in the middle of it all.

Its certainly sounds like an interesting movie with strong social and political undertones, but with Wheatley as a director, it is always going to lend itself more towards the bizarre, as this trailer makes abundantly clear.

Now, whether you enjoy this movie will probably depend on whether you like Wheatley’s previous work (The ABCs of Death, A Field in England) or if you like your movies bizarre and humour rather offbeat and dark. It’s a strong message, but told in a very unique way. This is not the kind of film that I would typically go out to watch, but I know there is an audience who loves these type of films.

The film has already had several early reviews, which present a rather mixed view of the film, with many reviewers praising Hiddleston’s performance, but otherwise saying the films plot is “too incomprehensible to matter”. The reviews are split between those in favour of Wheatley’s work or not, so it may be one of those films where you will need to trust the reviewers who match your taste in film.

The official synopsis for High Rise, which is based off a novel by JG Ballard is:

1975. Two miles west of London, Dr. Robert Laing moves into his new apartment seeking soulless anonymity, only to find that the building’s residents have no intention of leaving him alone. Resigned to the complex social dynamics unfolding around him, Laing bites the bullet and becomes neighbourly. As he struggles to establish his position, Laing’s good manners and sanity disintegrate along with the building. The lights go out and the lifts fail but the party goes on. People are the problem. Booze is the currency. Sex is the panacea. Only much later, as he sits on his balcony eating the architect’s dog, does Dr. Robert Laing finally feel at home……

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High Rise also stars Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans, Elisabeth Moss, James Purefoy and Keeley Hawes and will be released in the UK on March 18. In the U.S., it hits VOD April 28 before going to theaters May 13. No word if this will get released in SA, but Wheatley’s work is normally not for mainstream audiences and will likely go straight to DVD here.

Last Updated: February 10, 2016

2 Comments

  1. James Francis

    February 11, 2016 at 06:32

    I have been waiting for this movie for so long – the book is excellent and would make a great film.

    Reply

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