"Skyscraper" is an incredibly funny and absurd look at the era of blind consumption and interclass enmity. " Film School Rejects
In the arsenal of British writer James Ballard - several novels, three of which, including "High-rise", caused such a public outcry that Ballard in the blink of an eye became almost the most scandalous writer of our time. Of course, it is much more pleasant to become famous for your talent. However, it's a matter of taste. Here is everything that your heart desires: hidden sexual perversions, and all the horror of the surrounding world, and gloomy predictions about the future, the result of which is the same: everything will be, if not bad, then certainly not good. Despite the fact that American publishers unanimously called Ballard an insane, psychopath and sociopath, his books are nevertheless regularly published, filmed, and literally in a few days on our screens will appear on our screens a creepy, dystopian "High-rise" by Ben Wheatley, director of "Doctor Who". It will be about the 70s of the last century, which, however, differs from the present only in its design: the lives of several hundred people are enclosed in a single space of a high-rise building, where the social level is determined by the height of the floor.
“Whitley, Hiddleston and company are occupying Ballard's skyscraper in a completely shameless manner. In any case, the plot is rich in sharp turns, plus the towering ambitions of a wayward British film. " Total Film
Starring Tom Hiddleston, his hero is a physician-physiologist who studies the human brain and, as a result, behavior. He gets an apartment on a very prestigious, 25th floor, approximately in the middle of the building, which means that everything is not so bad. Dr. Lang is a typical handsome man, in which both positive and negative traits are quite harmoniously combined - everyone needs space for reflection. Nowadays obvious heroes are not in vogue, a riddle is needed. Yes, there are plenty of riddles here: a huge building in which all the characters are locked up like in a prison, either of their own free will, or at the request of the "higher mind". The loop is tightened. Madness is inevitable. Although, the "skyscraper" differs from the big world only in its scale.
In addition to Hiddleston, the film stars Jeremy Irons, winner of numerous prestigious awards, Elisabeth Moss, Luke Evans and Sienna Miller. Miller got the “party” of the unbridled rich woman Charlotte Melville, who, in order to escape from the surrounding reality, needs to constantly have fun and, most importantly, never sober up, then the reality does not seem to Charlotte so depressing.
Recently, dystopia has become almost an independent genre. It seems that we are so tired of the frightening surrounding reality that we prefer to see clearly: it could be worse. Well, British writer James Ballard and director Ben Wheatley are ready to prove once again that the worst is yet to come. The plot of the new film, which is about to be released on screens, is based on an abstract skyscraper, and by and large - a kind of significantly reduced scale model of the world. Yes, indeed, everything is the same here: a closed space, a progressive hierarchy, a person's hatred for a person, and as a result - a tragedy at every step. The problem is that if in the big world you, tired of cruelty and indifference, are able, say, to settle somewhere in the mountains, declare yourself a hermit and send everyone back to where they came from,here the space narrowed to the area of one house excludes any possibility of breaking free.
“The skyscraper is a welcome rush of adrenaline into the blood. The film madness we missed so much! " Independent
The idea is simple to nausea: man is a wolf to man, even in heaven. Except for happy accidents when love is stronger than reality. True, the glimpses of light are so insignificant that only the insane can hope for a good outcome. The smarter you are, the less likely you are to think positively.
Even if you happen to find yourself in an elite house, you risk waking up one day with the realization that you live in hell. Every day the same thing is repeated: intrigues, unrestrained parties, casual relationships, the struggle for a place in the sun (in our case, the struggle for the right to live on the upper floors), nothing changes, paradise turns into a nightmare and complete, absolute hopelessness.
Film connoisseurs argue that Wheatley's film is much deeper than the original source. Both human pettiness and the inability to stay happy for more than one minute are given to the viewer's judgment. A person is able to destroy everything around him, including his own "I". Is there a way out? The public will have to judge about this, but apparently, the movie promises to be good, which you will agree, is a great rarity in our reality.
By the way, in addition to the gripping plot, you will find another indisputable bonus - the soundtrack to High-Rise was recorded by the legendary Portishead - this is a cover of the SOS song by the Swedish quartet ABB - a 1975 hit that became for Wheatley a symbol of dying glamor and the collapse of that era.
Photo source: archives of the press services
Related materials
- Tom Hardy: Hollywood's top psycho
- Voices of France: the most popular French singers of our time
- Game of Thrones: season six