‘The Brutalist’ Trailer: A24’s Next Great Epic
A24 has released the first trailer for The Brutalist, capturing audiences with stunning visuals and a star-studded cast, including Adrien Brody and Joe Alwyn.
The trailer opens with an ominous beat and quiet scenes of urban life. Against a black screen, the iconic A24 logo appears, followed by rolling credits and title. A sleek right-to-left motion draws viewers into the film’s narrative. As the beat builds, we glimpse Brody navigating a crowded venue. The tension crescendos with an instrumental symphony, and in the closing moments, Brody’s character, László Toth, declares, “Welcome to America.”
Directed by Brady Corbet, The Brutalist follows visionary architect László Toth (Brody) as he escapes post-war Europe. According to A24’s synopsis, Toth arrives in America seeking to rebuild his life, work, and marriage to his wife, Erzsébet, after years of separation due to wartime turmoil. He settles in Pennsylvania, where his talent attracts the attention of industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren. However, power and legacy come with a heavy price.
The greatest trailer I've seen this year. Sweet! #TheBrutalist pic.twitter.com/FpRmwLbTCB
— Oris Aigbokhaevbolo (@Catchoris) October 23, 2024
The trailer’s stylistic choices, precise lines, sharp edges, and proportional perfection, reflect Toth’s architectural vision and the film’s namesake, Brutalism. Brutalism, an architectural style that emerged post-war in the UK, is defined by bold, geometric forms and raw concrete. Architectural Digest’s Mark Bittoni notes its divisive reception, admitting, “Some found the style too austere and imposing.”
Saw The Brutalist yesterday. Scored, written, shot and performed with such intelligence and rigour. It’s easy to be drawn to the language of architecture to describe it: towering and monumental are both fair adjectives. pic.twitter.com/bdlakNBpIi
— Lou Thomas (@London_Lou) October 23, 2024
Corbet’s choice of 70mm film for The Brutalist heightens the cinematic experience, adding to the trailer’s raw, tactile quality. This technique, recently used in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, evokes nostalgia and excitement among film enthusiasts. The trailer stitches together fragments of Toth’s life, offering glimpses of intense emotions and breathtaking landscapes.
Beyond aesthetics, Brutalism serves as a symbol of modernity and resilience, especially in post-war Europe, where it became a “symbol of the underclass.” Knowing that Toth flees Europe to reinvent himself in America, viewers can anticipate a nuanced exploration of this period through an artist’s perspective. At the Venice Film Festival, the director shared that the film examines “a character who flees fascism only to encounter capitalism.”
The Brutalist (2024) – A staggering unraveling of the dreams sold to us as an opportunity. Artists trapped in an environment so homogenized that creativity becomes the subject of envy. Brady Corbet truly made a sprawling American epic that feels of a bygone era of film. #NYFF62 pic.twitter.com/L5SHWhT2OA
— Giovanni Lago (@TheGiovanniLago) September 28, 2024
In short, The Brutalist promises to be an A24 masterpiece not to miss. With a release date of December 20 and a runtime of 3.5 hours (including a 10-minute intermission), audiences are in for an unforgettable cinematic experience.
Writer | Keep up with me! @alondratolentno
