Dead Man Down Directed by: Niels Arden Oplev Starring: Noomi Rapace, Colin Farrell, Terrence Howard Rating: R Release Date: March 8, 2013
Trailer Score: 8/10
Thoughts by TSR: I wasn't a huge fan of Niels Arden Oplev's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, so the reunion of he and Noomi Rapace was not enough to sell me on this. I was a bit curious thanks to Rapace impressing me in last year's Prometheus, but I was still taking a wait and see approach. With this first trailer, I'm pleased to say that I'm in. Dead Man Down looks like a solid thriller that I am definitely interested in checking out.
Rapace looks quite good, not that that's a big surprise. Colin Farrell, Terrence Howard, and Dominic Cooper all have hit-or-miss filmographies, but at their best I like all three. While Farrell seems a bit questionable at times (the line, "You have no idea what you're getting into with me. No idea!" isn't especially convincing), Howard is pretty great when he tells him that he wouldn't get mercy even if he begs. This trailer is really more about style than it is about the performances, though. I especially love the second half in that regard. Kendra Morris' version of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" meshes with a lot of intriguing visuals to create a cool vibe. Niels Arden Oplev just might make a believer out of me after all.