Reservoir Dogs and "Stuck In The Middle With You." Say Anything and "In Your Eyes." Apocalypse Now and "Ride Of The Valkyries." Sometimes, all it takes to transform a particular scene into an iconic movie moment is a well-chosen song. If that's the case, then the new trailer for Equals starring Kristen Stewart and Nicholas Hoult is instantly iconic, given the pitch-perfect blend of song and imagery. Our introduction to this futuristic society and the glimpses of a forbidden love between the movie's two young co-stars is soundtracked perfectly by The Chromatics' "Kill For Love," the lead single from their 2012 album of the same name. (Or, more specifically, the toned-down version of the song on their EP Running From The Sun.)
The synthpop quartet from Portland, Oregon have been active since 2001, but it wasn't until a decade later, in 2011, that they really started reaching nationwide fame thanks to two events: the use of their song "Tick Of The Clock" in the acclaimed Ryan Gosling movie Drive, and the release of their new single, "Kill For Love." That album ended up gaining so much attention that various tracks from it were used on popular TV shows including Bates Motel and Revenge.
According to the official synopsis, Equals "is set in a world where all types of emotion have been eliminated. While many maintain a drone-like existence of going through the motions, there are those who begin to experience feelings. These outliers are diagnosed with Switch On Syndrome or SOS; some are exiled from their safe reality. Co-workers Silas and Nia find themselves in danger when they fall in love with each other. In hopes of creating a better life, the couple entertains thoughts of escape to possibly find a world where the two of them can be together."
The trailer is almost completely dialogue-free, the only words heard being the lyrics to "Kill For Love"… which, if you listen closely, closely reflect the dystopian themes of the movie:
Everybody's got a secret to hideEveryone is slipping backwards[…]In my mind I was waiting for changeWhile the world just stayed the same
You can't help wondering: Is the line that gives the song its name ("I killed for love") perhaps a bit of foreshadowing for the film? Will Silas and Nia be driven to kill to protect their love by the end?
But it's not just the lyrics that are appropriate for Equals; the band itself is a perfect fit just by virtue of their name alone: "Chromatics" — and all of the splashes of color that word brings to mind — is a striking contrast to the white-washed, monochromatic imagery of the trailer.
Hopefully the film itself will be as striking and memorable as this synergy between trailer and song suggests. We'll find out when Equals debuts later this year. There's no specific release date yet, but exciting new distributor A24 (Room, Ex Machina) picked up the rights after the movie premiered at TIFF. While we wait to find out when we can actually watch the movie, you can at least check out the full trailer below.
Images: A24 Films
