‘Only God Forgives’ Lands A New International Trailer [Video]

The Ryan Gosling thriller Only God Forgives has dropped a new international trailer.

Director Nicolas Winding Refn’s controversial effort didn’t receive a very good reception from critics when it screened at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The filmmaker and the folks at Radius-TWC are hoping North American audiences are a bit more accepting of the flick when it opens later this month.

Judging from the trailers that have been making the rounds, Only God Forgives doesn’t stray too far from the themes Refn and Gosling explored in their 2011 effort Drive. The director has a penchant for visceral on-screen violence, a trait that has earned him a very devoted fanbase.

The film caused quite a stir when it premiered at Cannes back in May. Hollywood Elsewhere critic Jeffrey Wells seemed particularly offended by the film, delivering a scathing review that quickly went viral.

To make a long story short, Wells felt “violated, s*** upon, sedated, narcotized, appalled, and bored stiff” while watching Only God Forgives. The thriller also received a fair amount of boos and jeers when it screened at the film festival.

However, Refn doesn’t seem too worried about the negative response from critics. According to the filmmaker, art is designed to divide the masses. In other words, Refn isn’t putting too much stock in these reviews.

The director told Vulture:

I mean, how can I expect someone to not react like this when on one hand you are dropping what you do in everyone’s face and at the same time saying, ‘Love me, please,’ you know? You’re going to get that. You know, great art — horrible thing to say — but art is meant to divide, because if it doesn’t divide, it doesn’t penetrate, and if it doesn’t penetrate, you just consume it.

Here’s the latest poster from the upcoming flick.

Fans will be able to see what all of the fuss is about when Only God Forgives opens in select theaters on July 19. Are you looking forward to Ryan Gosling and Nicolas Winding Refn’s latest endeavor?

[Image via Radius-TWC]