One of the best things, about the start of a new year, is the spat of films that did the rounds at film festival’s the previous year, finally hitting the big screen, for all to see. That’s the case with High Life, the hotly anticipated sci-fi film from Claire Denis (Trouble Every Day). It premiered a few months back at TIFF, garnering a fair amount of good praise. Mostly surrounding its weird story and lead performance from Robert Pattison. Now, we have our first look at the film in an official trailer and it appears to be just as crazy as we’d hope. Fans for R-Pat and babies alike, are sure to be delighted. Take a peek.
Not sure about anyone else, but that final image of lifeless bodies in spacesuits, floating in space, is gonna stick with me for a while. The rest of the trailer is equally creepy and engaging. Footage gives off a weird “Silent Running meets Sunshine, with a dash of Prometheus” vibe. Pattinson bonds with an adorable baby. Juliet Binoche is carrying out some potentially suspect experiments. While Mia Goth continues to prove being “slightly disturbed” is just her default acting setting. Even Andre Benjamin shows up here. If the movie isn’t ultimately a success, at least it will have a cast that captivates audiences.
Here’s the official synopsis, from A24, that proves slightly different than what’s gleaned from the above trailer:
“Monte (Robert Pattinson) and his baby daughter are the last survivors of a damned and dangerous mission to deep space. The crew—death-row inmates led by a doctor (Juliette Binoche) with sinister motives—has vanished. As the mystery of what happened onboard the ship is unraveled, father and daughter must rely on each other to survive as they hurtle toward the oblivion of a black hole.”
One of the most interesting aspects surrounding High Life, actually takes place behind the scenes. Originally, the part of Monte’s child went to a pair of twins. Not uncommon in the film industry. The problem was, Pattinson couldn’t bond with the kids. They either only cried or screamed in his presence. At the eleventh hour, they settled upon casting one of his best friend’s kids, believing the move would compel him to care for the child even deeper. From what little we’ve seen, it appears to have worked quite well.
What do you all think of the trailer? Do you like films centering on creepy space shenanigans? Are you impressed by the tear Robert Pattinson has been on, acting wise, the last few years? What’s your favorite underrated film set in outer space? Sound off down in the comments. In the meantime, enjoy this rather simplistic poster for High Life. You’ll want to set a reminder for the film’s release, April 12, as that month is absolutely packed to the gills. We expect lots of people will be discussing this one, when it hits.
