The first trailer for Thoroughbreds director Cory Finley’s upcoming science fiction drama, Landscape with Invisible Hand, transports audiences to a world that has been invaded by aliens. Released courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Landscape with Invisible Hand follows Asante Blackk, Tiffany Haddish, and Kylie Rogers as they attempt to survive in a world in which humans are no longer in charge. Check out the new trailer for Landscape with Invisible Hand below.
Based on the 2017 novel of the same name by M. T. Anderson, Landscape with Invisible Hand drops us in a near-future in which an alien species known as the Vuvv has taken over Earth. An aspiring teenage artist and his girlfriend hatch a scheme to make money by broadcasting their dating life to the fascinated aliens in wake of the Vuvv's labor-saving technology. But the two teens slowly come to hate each other and can't break up without bankrupting their families.
Directed and written by Cory Finley (Thoroughbreds, Bad Education), Landscape with Invisible Hand will be led by Asante Blackk (When They See Us) and Kylie Rogers (Yellowstone) alongside Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip). The rest of the cast includes the likes of Brooklynn MacKinzie (Truth Be Told), John Newberg (Dark Waters), Tony Vogel ((Future) Cult Classic), Josh Hamilton (Eighth Grade), Michael Gandolfini (The Many Saints of Newark), Christian Adam (Irresistible), and William Jackson Harper (The Good Place).
Landscape with Invisible Hand Has Been Well-Received by Critics
Landscape with Invisible Hand premiered at the Sundance Film Festival back in January, and several critics have heaped praise on Cory Finley’s adaptation and the central performances. Landscape with Invisible Hand currently stands at a promising 74% on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes (based on 38 reviews), with Jourdain Searles from The Hollywood Reporter enjoying the way the sci-fi story reflects contemporary themes and issues, as the best sci-fi so often does. “The Vuvv are not unlike the wealthy class we already have now — using technological advancement as an excuse for the rapid destruction of empathy,” Searles says. “It’s a blunt indictment of capitalism’s cruelty, which constantly asks us to pay for our freedom.”
Some early reactions have been a little less glowing, however, with Ross Bonaime of Collider awarding Landscape with Invisible Hand a B- and saying, “Landscape with Invisible Hand is certainly a mixed bag that isn’t nearly as tight as Finley’s previous work, but the bold attempt to make something so unique and singular makes this wild story ultimately work.”
Lastly, ScreenRant’s Mae Abdulbaki applauds the performances from Asante Blackk and Tiffany Haddish, and while it has its issues, still found Landscape with Invisible Hand to be very much worth your time; “The sci-fi dramedy boasts great performances from Asante Blackk and Tiffany Haddish. While it isn’t the strongest film, it is bold and fascinating.”
Landscape with Invisible Hand is scheduled to be released theatrically on 18 August, 2023, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.