You Forget It's A Movie

Good stuff. 'Locke' is looking special.

'Locke' International Poster

Illustrates what must be a central theme of 'Locke': Running away. In trailers, Tom Hardy's character is clearly upset and has an urgent agenda. However, he's not rushing toward something (as we might think, or take for granted), he's running away, as if it's only a matter of time before someone figures out what he's done and comes looking for him, and this new poster works that element.

We get a milder sense of this from the domestic poster that came out a while back (below).

Locke is seen only in the rear-view mirror, which leaves little doubt this guy wants to know what might be coming up behind him, but it's pretty straight-forward when compared to the new international poster.

Here's the Italian version:





































Much more dynamic. This time Locke is looking behind him whereas, in the domestic version he is looking forward. Makes a big difference.

Plus, the overall color balance has a strong red-shift (while the other one is more neutral-blue). There is also a strong red flair to the left of Locke's face, right in his eye-line. So, this guy wants to go forward but all that red light is telling him/us there is a force blocking his way. The domestic poster doesn't go there at all.

New poster also imparts more of a sense of motion, whereas the previous one has a static vibe. We also get more of a sense of vulnerability from the character in the Italian version -- he looks worried (about what's behind him). In the domestic poster Locke simply looks determined -- it's more generic.

The one thing the domestic version does better is imply this character is not who he presents himself to be, or has done something in the past he tries to keep hidden. This is illustrated by the multiple images that ghost out on the left, becoming more transparent as they go.

Otherwise, the international poster beats ours to pieces. It utilizes graphic elements better and has more emotional depth. Happens all the time.

Locke's Forward Motion

Most single-location movies just sit there. Yeah, they're constrained and you need to take that into account, but even thrillers like 'Brake' or 'Buried', which redefine the concept of one location, don't (or haven't yet) had much forward motion when it came to character. In a word, they're boring, despite convoluted twists meant to put audiences on edge.

'Locke' is the opposite. Tom Hardy is a live wire and watching him, wondering what he's done and what he's going to do -- the essential suspense -- is more like watching the Death Star trench sequence than a man-in-coffin or man-in-car scenario.

Great plot, great writing from writer/director Steven Knight (Eastern Promises, Redemption). Cinematography by Haris Zambarloukos (Thor, Shadow Recruit) is a cut above.

I'm always impressed by how alive these trailers are. It's just a guy driving and talking, but it makes you want to jump out of your seat.

Doesn't Play Like A Movie

You forget this is a movie, that you're watching actors. Rare quality in a trailer. Must-see.

What Has Happened And...What Will Happen Next

Suspense is making the audience wonder what will happen next. Usually, though, you know how the situation came to be, what events led up to this point. In 'Locke' we wonder what will come next, but we also can't figure what happened to bring us here, who this guy is. It's double-edged, twice as potent, and serves as a powerful dramatic engine.

This trailer could be a parody designed to make fun of productions that were forced to keep the action in a single location to save money and, being painted into a corner, ramp up the drama with every superficial trick in the kit. Here, though, Tom Hardy brings what looks to be a very sharp script by director Steven Knight (writer of Eastern Promises and director of Redemption) to life in a convincing way. It doesn't seem like a movie. Watching his performance there's a grinding curiosity about what this character has done to put him in such a dire predicament and what he intends to do to get out of it.

Trailer is excellent. Love the camera work by Haris Zambarloukos (Mama Mia, Thor).

Reviews are over-the-top yet focused, considered. Pretty much must-see.

Intriguing

What an odd word -- 'intriguing'. It shouldn't be.

This trailer is intriguing, to say the least. It gets my intrigue. Almost all of it.