[This is a re-post of my review from Fantastic Fest 2012.  Pusher opens today in limited release.]

This review is a steal, because it’s one review for two movies. Luis Prieto‘s remake of Pusher is in no way significantly different than Nicolas Winding Refn‘s Pusher other than Prieto’s film takes place in London instead of Copenhagen, and the characters speak the primary language of their respective cities. Both films share the same strengths, and Refn’s Pusher is a solid crime flick that takes a lean, gritty premise that runs its protagonist ragged. Prieto doesn’t add anything to the formula, but his mixture still works thanks to the aggressive direction, a strong central performance, and tense pacing.

This review is a steal, because it’s one review for two movies.  Luis Prieto‘s remake of Pusher is in no way significantly different than Nicolas Winding Refn‘s Pusher other than Prieto’s film takes place in London instead of Copenhagen, and the characters speak the primary language of their respective cities.  Both films share the same strengths, and Refn’s Pusher is a solid crime flick that takes a lean, gritty premise that runs its protagonist ragged.  Prieto doesn’t add anything to the formula, but his mixture still works thanks to the aggressive direction, a strong central performance, and tense pacing.

Continuing on with our coverage of the latest films announced for the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival, we’ve got some new images from films playing under the Vanguard banner (ie. “international works that defy convention and ride on the pulse of cutting-edge cinema”).  Briefly:

• Pusher (Directed by Luis Prieto) Starring Richard Coyle, Bronson Webb, and Agyness Deyn.
• Peaches Does Herself (Directed by Peaches) Starring Peaches.
• Here Comes the Devil (Directed by Adrian Garcia Bogliano) Starring Francisco Barreiro, Giancarlo Ruiz, and Laura Caro.
• Painless (Directed by Juan Carlos Medina) Starring Derek de Lint, Irene Montala, and Felix Gomez.

Hit the jump to check out the images and synopses.  The 2012 Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 – 16th.

A few days ago, we reported that Luis Prieto‘s English-language remake of Nicolas Winding Refn‘s Pusher had been picked up by The Weinstein Company’s VOD label, Radius-TWC.  The film centers on Frank, a drug dealer (Richard Coyle) who gets busted by the cops and has to throw away his product.  When he returns to the mob boss (Zlatko Buric reprising his role from Refn’s trilogy) without the unsold drugs or the money to pay for them, Frank frantically tries to find a way to repay the mobster.  A trailer has now gone online and I like the look of it.  Perhaps Refn’s executive-producer blessing make the remake more palatable, but I like what I’m seeing from Coyle, and it looks like Prieto has certainly delivered on the intensity of the drama.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  The film also stars Agyness Deyn, Bronson Webb, and Paul Kaye.  Pusher is due out in the US later this year.

Before there was Drive, there was director Nicolas Winding Refn’s Pusher trilogy. The 1996 original followed Frank (Kim Bodnia), a drug-dealer who finds himself on the wrong end of a botched deal. The film that launched Refn’s career is going through an English-language remake by director Luis Prieto, starring Richard Coyle (Prince of Persia), Agyness Deyn (Clash of the Titans), Bronson Webb (Kingdom of Heaven) and Paul Kaye (Match Point). The remake has recently been picked up by The Weinstein Co.’s Radius-TWC, a VOD-oriented label that snagged the US and Caribbean rights. They are planning a release later this year. Hit the jump for more on Pusher including a trailer for the original trilogy.

The cast has been announced for Luis Prieto’s English-language remake of Nicolas Winding Refn’s 1996 crime flick Pusher.  The original film centers on a drug dealer who gets arrested and loses a massive amount of product in the process.  He spends the rest of the film running through the criminal underground of Copenhagen trying to find a way to make up the lost stash before his employer kills him.  While the original Pusher is a good movie, it’s also the weakest of the trilogy, and I’ll be interested to see if Prieto remakes the sequels With Blood on My Hands: Pusher II and I’m the Angel of Death: Pusher III (although ironically the sequels were made so that Refn could pay off debt).

According to THR, the remake will transplant the action to London and star Agyness Deyn, Richard Coyle, Bronson Webb, and Paul Kaye.  Filming is slated to begin next week.  Hit the jump for a statement from Refn on the remake.