The Locked Down movie trailer for the upcoming HBO Max original teases a movie that is not at all what it appears to be. Starring Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor as a couple locked down in quarantine during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the film follows their struggles as they adjust to a new normal. The pair is joined by Mindy Kaling, Ben Kingsley, Ben Stiller, and Lucy Boynton.
Initially titled Lockdown, the film is directed by Doug Liman, director of Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Edge of Tomorrow. The film was acquired by HBO Max in December 2020 after filming in London earlier last year. Locked Down will be the first of HBO Max's originals to premiere this year. Though it was never intended to release in theaters, it's part of a high-profile slate of movies to release on HBO Max in 2021, after Warner Bros. announced that all of its major films would be hitting the platform for one month the same day they hit theaters.
The Locked Down trailer begins normally enough: Hathaway and Ejiofor are seen dealing with a newly imposed lockdown in London in the best way they know how. It's clear that their relationship is strained, made worse by the fact that they will be forced to be indoors together for a prolonged period of time. The trailer takes a quick turn, though, revealing that the pair are planning a jewelry heist from Hathaway's character's work, Harrods. Typical heist-related hijinks ensue with a COVID twist that is sure to make the film interesting.
As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, many television shows have integrated that into their stories. Whether or not they are successful in doing so is up for debate. Various streamers have released COVID-themed shows, including Netflix's Social Distance, Hulu's Love in the Time of Corona, and HBO Max's own Coastal Elites. Upcoming film Songbird, starring KJ Apa (Riverdale) has a more dystopian outlook on the pandemic, one that feels unnecessary seeing as we're still in the thick of it.
One thing all of these productions have in common is how unnecessary they feel. It's safe to say that we might not yet be quite removed enough from the pandemic to enjoy art about it. While Locked Down looks relatively enjoyable and Hathaway and Ejiofor are always lighting up the screen, it still rings hollow. It may be an Ocean's Eleven for our pandemic times, but we have yet to grapple with the very real consequences of the coronavirus, making Locked Down feel a bit too lighthearted. It's possible the film could take an entirely different angle not seen in the trailer, exploring the pandemic in a serious way, but that seems unlikely.
Locked Down releases Thursday, January 14 on HBO Max.
Source: HBO Max