Luis Prieto‘s remake of Nicolas Winding Refn‘s Pusher opens today in limited release, and we’re pleased to share an exclusive clip from the film.  I’ll say right now that while the clip isn’t necessarily a spoiler, it does come near the end of the movie, so considered yourself warned.

Hit the jump to check out the clip, and click here for my review of the movie.  The film also stars Richard Coyle, Agyness Denn, Bronson Webb, and Zlatko Buric.

[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.

Last week, the Toronto International Film Festival announced their 2012 line-up for the Special Presentations and Galas programs.  They’ve now announced their other line-ups including Midnight Madness and Documentaries as well as TIFF Kids, Vanguard, and Cinematheque.  The Kids program only has four films, but two of them are Hotel Transylvania and Finding Nemo 3D.  Vanguard, which is “international works that defy convention and ride on the pulse of cutting-edge cinema, includes the British remake of Nicolas Winding Refn‘s Pusher, the great Shining documentary Room 237, Michel Gondry‘s The We and the I, and Sightseers, the new film from Kill List director Ben Wheatley.  Finally, Cinematheque is for the classic films and it includes the digital 3D presentation of Alfred Hitchcock‘s Dial M for Murder, and a 4K restoration of Roman Polanski‘s Tess.

Hit the jump for all the line-ups.  The 2012 Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 – 16th.

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.

Like the rest of the internet, I love Drive, and admire the bold direction from Nicolas Winding Refn.  However, since Drive is the only Refn film I can knowledgeably praise, I am cautious in my excitement for his upcoming projects, Logan’s Run and Only God Forgives.  I get the impression that will change once I see the Pusher trilogy that launched Refn’s career in Denmark.  I am running out of time to catch up*, because director Luis Prieto is hard at work on an English-language remake of Pusher.

Refn has given the project his blessing by virtue of his role as executive producer.  Tonight we have the first images—both very red in hue—of stars Richard Coyle and Agyness Deyn from AFM.  Check out the images after the break along with the official synopsis.