Later this year, moviegoers will be cordially invited to StudioCanal’s High-Rise (otherwise known as Ben Wheatley’s twisted tower of terror), and today’s poster and trailer showcase what happens when Tom Hiddleston’s protagonist bids farewell to the real world.
The actor assumes the role of the intellectual Dr. Robert Laing, who seeks residence in the titular sky-scraper. Held up as the solution to the societal ills of 1970s London, the tower block quickly descends into a cesspool of drugs and violence, with Hiddleston’s Laing caught up somewhere in the middle. Where exactly our protagonist finds himself is of the utmost importance, too, considering that the setup bears semblance to Snowpiercer by relegating the lower class to the bottom floors and upper class to the penthouses.
Less utopian haven and more dystopian nightmare, High-Rise has all the makings of a dark psychological thriller, and considering that Wheatley’s past efforts include Kill List, Sightseers and A Field in England coupled with J.G. Ballard’s source material, the result should make for some electrifying viewing.
Rounding out the cast for Wheatley’s latest psychedelic trip are Sienna Miller, Luke Evans, Elisabeth Moss, James Purefoy, Reece Shearsmith, Peter Ferdinando and Dan Renton Skinner.
High-Rise is poised to swing open its doors to UK viewers on March 18, with a North American release date still to be finalized.
1975. Two miles west of London, Dr. 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 elevators fail but the party goes on. People are the problem. Booze is the currency. Sex is the panacea.
