The way the latest clip for Stoker plays out, you’d think the trailer out of the Sundance Film Festival was a promo for a quirky new teen drama — until the end. And that’s when things get creepy.
But then, this is Chan-wook Park’s world, that’s how things go in his films. The South Korean director, probably most well-known for his Vengeance Trilogy and its wonderful flick Oldboy, is making his English-language debut with Stoker and even though the language is different, the blood stays the same.
In this latest clip for the psychological horror film, which premiered just days ago at the Sundance Film Festival, we get smash-cuts of all the main players: Mia Wasikowska as India Stoker, Nicole Kidman as her mother Evie Stoker, and Matthew Goode as the mysterious (as in, like, India didn’t know he existed) Uncle Charlie. And they’re all set to (surprisingly) DJ Shadow’s “I Gotta Rokk,” which is a little more upbeat than one would expect in a trailer that ends in blood splatter. (Not that we’re complaining.)
Based on this clip alone, Stoker looks like a bit of twisted fun, but the actual plot makes it sound even more awesome/warped. After losing her father in a car crash, Uncle Charlie comes to live with India and her unstable mother Evie. India suspects this mysterious uncle has ulterior motives, but instead of feeling alienated by his creepy behavior, she becomes more and more infatuated. (Ew.) The flick, which also stars Silver Linings Playbook’ Jacki Weaver once again as the seemingly sane one in the family (see above), has gotten mixed but largely positive reviews at Sundance, so here’s hoping Park has managed to translate his talents perfectly for his English-language debut.
Stoker hits select theaters March 1.
