From its opening shot through to its final fade out, the first trailer for Black Mass preys solely upon the unnerving performance of its leading man. Known for his loyalty to Disney’s Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise, Johnny Depp is turning his back on Bruckheimer’s swashbuckling series for a gritty real-life drama he can sink his teeth into. And judging by the message he imparts over this compelling two-minute trailer, it’s probably going to get bloody.
Black Mass hails from writer-director Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart, Out Of The Furnace) and chronicles the tale of legendary Irish gangster Whitey Bulger (Depp), whose preponderance for brutal criminal activity is tabled when his FBI agent brother steps in. Choosing to switch sides, Bulger becomes an informant for the bureau in order to take down a competitive Mafia family.
Depp’s efforts are supplemented by a huge supporting cast that includes Joel Edgerton, Adam Scott, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon, Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard, Jesse Plemons, Corey Stoll, Rory Cochrane and Sienna Miller. Their appearances are referenced in brief flashes throughout this tease, which chooses to stay put in one particular scene for its running time: a simple dinner party. Sounds relatively humble, yes. In reality, though, for those surrounding Bulger it’s an utterly terrifying experience – in part because of Depp’s physical transformation that lends him an additional layer of creepiness.
Take a peek for yourself and be sure to let us know your initial thoughts on this intriguing teaser.
Black Mass opens on September 18.
BLACK MASS tells the true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf. However, after the Feds closed in on their targets, they double crossed Bulger and ultimately prosecuted him, along with his partner in crime and the original FBI agent working with him.
