One of the more distinct voices in genre filmmaking emerging out of the U.K. is Ben Wheatley. The director first made ripples with "Down Terrace," but caused a major sensation last year with his stomach-churning "Kill List." So what did he do for an encore? He headed to Cannes this past spring to unveil "Sightseers," another nasty piece of work, albeit one with a comic edge to help it go down a bit more smoothly.
Starring Alice Lowe and Steve Oram and executive produced by Edgar Wright, the premise is straightfoward enough, following a young couple on holiday who take their murderous impulses out on anyone who slights them. But as the solid first trailer reveals, there is a lot more texture going on, with a delightful dark streak that is nicely underscored by the choice of "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell to power the advert. Our man in Cannes was a big fan of the flick, calling it "a pitch-black comedy made with skill, will and brains."
Check it out the trailer below. "Sightseers" opens in the U.K. on November 30th and while IFC Films has the U.S. rights, no date has been set just yet. [The Guardian]