[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.

A new trailer and poster for the British remake of Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn’s Pusher have been released.  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.  I still haven’t seen Refn’s original films so I don’t have much to compare it to, but the trailer for director Luis Prieto’s English-language take on the material looks interesting enough.  Refn is involved in the remake as an executive producer, so I doubt the pic strays too far from the original.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer and check out the poster.  The pic also stars Agyness Deyn, Bronson Webb, and Paul Kaye.  Pusher will be available VOD and on iTunes on September 28th before hitting theaters on October 26th.

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.