Here’s the First Trailer for ‘Slow West’

The first trailer for John Maclean’s Slow West doesn’t live up to its name. Highlighting a playful mood, with light banter and a noticeably faster tempo than a traditional western, the preview could be described as anything but “slow.” The film, which stars Kodi Smit-McPhee (All the Wilderness), Michael Fassbender (X-Men: Days of Future Past), and Ben Mendelsohn (Black Sea), premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Prize.

Slow West is directed by first timer John Maclean, who spent many years as a musician with groups like The Beta Band and The Aliens. Although Maclean had only previously directed some music videos and two shorts, both of those shorts – 2009’s Man On a Motorcycle and 2011’s BAFTA winning Pitch Black Heist – starred Fassbender.

With Slow West, Fassbender doesn’t seem to be playing the typical Western protagonist – scowling, brooding men of a quiet demeanor – made famous by actors like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. Rather, Fassbender is smirking and charming as a man accompanying a boy through 19th century America to help him find his love. 

As we reported previously, A24 Films will give Slow West a limited release on May 15th, 2015.