Mute Trailer

Somebody at Netflix must be really into flying cars, neon and androids. In addition to Altered Carbon on February 2, they're also releasing a feature-length film called Mute, by Duncan Jones (Moon, Warcraft and Source Code) and starring Not Mads Mikkelsen (Neither Casino Royale nor Rogue One), Paul Rudd (Ant Man and a bunch of comedies) and Justin Theroux (5 seconds of the Last Jedi).

While Altered Carbon looks like it's going to be very technoballs-to-the-firewall action, this one seems more strange and quirky, with its cast of a mute German bartender (still not played by Mikkelsen) searching for his crayola-colored girlfriend with the help and/or hindrance of two American surgeons (both played by actors known for comedic rather than dramatic roles). Probably for the best--Jones's thinky movie (Moon) was far better than his bashy action ones.

I suppose the trailer is just trying to be a good little trailer and give as little away as possible, but I'm really getting hit by tonal shifts from cut to cut, with Rudd and Theroux's scenes looking like they come from a completely different movie: blowing bubble gum, car surfing, and going bowling, while Not-Mikkelsen goes around looking increasingly haunted and desperate.

I'm also not clear right now on why this is cyberpunk, other than the flying cars and the girlfriend's lipstick choices. With Altered Carbon, for example, the SF concept is front and center: digitized consciousness. Here, I'm drawing a blank.

Final point: I can't claim to be particularly progressive in any of my views but damn, does this fail the Bechdel test on every level. Where's the women at, Jonesey?

Not sure if other trailers are forthcoming, but so far this isn't quite enough to win me over.
Also: Not nearly enough Mads Mikkelsen.