We don’t get many new trailers these days. Sure, we’ll get one or two a month, but generally speaking they’re all pre-established blockbusters or limited-release indies that haven’t yet found an audience.

But every now and then, a little indie gem slaps us in the face and says “hey, I can be your franchise. I can become a poster child for your movie. I can speak to an audience that maybe hasn’t seen a film like this before.”

And when that happens, we’re really, really lucky, because it means that we might just see something special. It might mean that this indie film could go on to become a phenomenon and change the face of cinema as we know it. Because obviously, if the world doesn’t know what this indie movie is about, then it probably won’t be very good. (The Babadook.)

And that’s exactly what happened when we got our hands on The Lighthouse Trailer. We’d seen Robert Pattinson’s name in the credits of the film, along with one of our favourite films of all time (and he’s in it!). We weren’t quite sure what to expect, but this was definitely a surprise. How could a movie by the King of Cool become one of our favorite indies of all time? Let’s find out. 

An Absolute Master Of Cinematography

First off, let’s talk about the cinematography. If you’ve seen the trailer already, then you’ll know that it’s a beautiful shot, but not quite in the same league as some of the other great shots that Gucci has provided. The fact that it’s one of the best scenes in the film and one of the highlights of the entire trailer is a testament to how much of an absolute master of cinematography Pattinson is. (1)

Because it’s such a pivotal scene, it almost feels like it could have been pieced together from many different takes. We see the waves crashing against a rocky shoreline, ships passing in the distance and seagulls flying back and forth. It has a dreamlike quality to it that makes it even more hypnotic to watch. (2)

But more importantly, we see the light and we see how it illuminates everything around it. It’s a wonderful shot, but more importantly it helps us understand just how mental James Hall’s (Pattinson) ordeal is. Because when the light starts to fade at the end, we know that it’s time for James to come back down to Earth and time for the storm to worsen. (3)

One Of The Most Adventurous Soundtracks You’ll Ever Listen To

Now, the other thing that really sets The Lighthouse Trailer apart from most other indie movies is the soundtrack. (4)

For one, it’s not an original score. Instead, it’s made up of many different songs that range from haunting to joyous. And not only that, but some of the songs are from bands that we’ve never even heard of! (5)

We get to see a lot of James’ day-to-night life in the film. He starts out at a party and dances with a woman that he hardly knows. (6) He goes to a nightclub, where he meets up with a friend (Foster The People) for lunch and goes on a dinner date with another woman (Charli XCX). (7)

While all of this is going on, we hear the music and it fits perfectly with what’s happening. There’s no other soundtrack similar to this one and that, in and of itself, is worth mentioning. (8)

An Impressive Cast And A Brief To The Future

But aside from the music, the soundtrack features an impressive cast, including some heavyweights. (9)

We have Pattinson, who is always welcome in our top three and is surrounded by some of the biggest names in Hollywood. (And he’s not even the main character!) We also have Donald Sutherland, an incredible Aussie whose extensive range is on full display here. (10)

We see him play both a father and a husband, and he does it so well that it feels like we’re seeing two different men. The fact that he’s playing a dual role is something that makes this movie so interesting. (11)

And then we have the amazing Tom Hardy, who’s been on a bit of a hot streak in the past year or so. (12)

We see him play a very different character than we’re used to and it’s one that really surprises us. He’s a rough, tough fisherman who goes head-to-head with Hall, but even then he has a softer side. (13)

But the best part of this movie is without a doubt the incredible Charlotte Riley. (14)

She plays the role of Alyssa, James’ wife. And she nails it. She really is a scene-stealer in this film, especially in the early scenes, where she shows just how strong and independent she can be. (15)

There are so many things to love about this movie and its leading man, and we can’t wait to see what else Gucci has in store.