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| Daniel Radcliffe |
Welcome to the weekly column Trailing Off in which I take a look at a trailer from the past week and analyze its potential. This will be done using an obnoxious amount of analyzing and personal thoughts on the cast and crew as well as expectations. Coming every Sunday (it's called Trailing Off for a reason), I will attempt to highlight films ranging from new blockbusters to lesser known indies and give them their due. Partially to spread awareness, I do believe that there is an art to the sell and will do my best to highlight why these trailers matter or don't with approval (trove) or disapproval (trash). So please stop by, recommend some trailers, and I will see you next time.
Trailer in Discussion
Directed By: Alexandre Aja
Written By: Keith Bunin (screenplay), Joe Hill (novel)
Stars: Juno Temple, Daniel Radcliffe, Sabrina Carpenter
- Preamble -
It is hard to believe, but we are only three years removed from the end of the Harry Potter movie franchise (allegedly, depending on the appeal of any spin-off movies). It is a brief and uninteresting amount of time to judge an actor's post-career, but it is interesting to note that one time, Daniel Radcliffe was headlining one of the most successful movie franchises in history. He IS the boy who lived. He IS Harry Potter for a generation. It only makes sense that he would go on to a career full of highly successful movies, right? Not necessarily.
Of every "child" actor in Harry Potter's run, the two that have come out the best are Radcliffe and Emma Watson. While neither have had a film that has grossed even half of the lowest grossing Harry Potter film since, it does seem like Watson has had the best luck with everything from indie dramas (The Bling Ring, The Perks of Being a Wallflower) to blockbusters (Noah). In fact, I could argue that she is the most promising one of the bunch. Meanwhile, Radcliffe seems to finally living out the strangest perverse tendencies of his career with horror themes movies, including The Woman in Black and the latest film from Alexandre Aja: Horns.
For those who don't know, Aja is a horror director in the strictest sense. He is visceral, violent, and finds tongue-in-cheek humor in the graphic nature. He embraces the weirdness and while not necessarily a household name, has become a reliable genre director. His most successful film to date remains the shlock-tastic reboot of Piranha, which featured a mixture of big breasts, buckets of blood, and an infamous scrotum-eating scene. He in unapologetic in his playful nature, and it has given him an edge of sorts. It was so silly and successful in the big budget b-movie way that it spawned a sequel called Piranha 3DD (yes, after the bra size).
There is plenty to wonder about why Radcliffe would be attracted to Aja besides that he may have a violent streak that we are not entirely aware of. To say the least, I haven't been impressed by his post-Harry Potter career enough to care about the specifics. Yes, he played Allen Ginsberg in Kill Your Idols, but that didn't take off. He didn't get awards. So what exactly can we expect from him taking on a film from a director who is explicit with his violent, graphic horror and embracing of dark tendencies? If nothing else, it feels like the most audacious thing that has happened to any of them, including Watson's impressive yet modest career.
- Dissection -
The plot seems simple: a man grows horns. It isn't enough to make a film around. However, if you look deeper, there is a lot to suggest that this is a new, exciting Radcliffe. I am not talking about the blurb that directly states this. I am talking about the scenes around it. It has all of the acidic touches that made Piranha a surprise smash in 2010. At one point, Radcliffe asks reporters to fight over a potential interview. It is a subtle moment, but allows for the humor to shine through in interesting ways. It is those throwaway moments that get me intrigued. What will be his big draw? It does feel like this cynical nature is in Radcliffe's wheelhouse. He is having a lot of fun and I guess all it took was some horns to get that to happen.
The rest of the trailer is pretty straightforward. We get the sense of why he has grown horns. He is one of the main suspects in an adultery case. What starts off as a logical dismay of "No he couldn't have," quickly turns into something grander. Along with supporting roles by Max Minghella and Juno Temple, we get a strong sense of setting and the results are delightfully funny. There isn't anything really to dissect in this trailer beyond the general concepts of a man who talks trash and is mysteriously accused of crimes. Oh yeah, and he has horns.
If nothing else, the trailer succeeds in mixing the mysterious potential third act plot devices in ways that don't spoil too much. Instead, it gives just enough to make the film feel appealing. Yes, there have been other Horns trailers out there, but none have really done an effective job of grabbing me and making me believe that this film is worth seeing. Here, there is a sense of story, purpose, and personality that in the end, creates something that has potential to be wonderful, dark, and innocuously unique for Radcliffe.
- One Sentence Sell -
Daniel Radcliffe grows horns, gets a cocky attitude, and pisses off everyone in delightfully dark and twisted ways.
- Trove or Trash -
TROVE
If nothing else, the film has raised my curiosity and makes me want to see this film. Beforehand, I had heard great things about it, but the gimmick of a man with horns was not exactly the easiest sell. It seemed kind of stupid and shlocky, especially from the director Piranha, which was enjoyable but not my favorite. Instead, we get something that looks like a pure, unleashed performance from an actor who had to be stuck in the same role for a decade. Now he's free to express himself as an actor how he truly wants, and it looks like he is turning in an interesting, if unexpected, decision that will hopefully pay off.
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