Film news: Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal star in Ari Aster’s unsettling Western drama ‘Eddington’
Pedro Pascal is in yet another film in 2025, and this time, it's Ari Aster’s Eddington, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone, as a town in Albuquerque finds itself in the midst of brutal political activism.
Austin Butler, Micheal Ward and Luke Grimes make up the supporting roles, and Aster’s building of suspense over the course of two-and-a-half hours is sure to leave you a nervous wreck come closing time.
With an early preview ahead of the film’s full release on August 22, Film News Blitz’s Joe Matthews is here to talk you through what to expect.
Taking us back to 2020 COVID nightmares
The revered director of terrifying horror movies Midsommar and Hereditary is back after a two-year hiatus since 2023’s Beau Is Afraid, and Eddington certainly hits the spot.
Set in mid-2020, Phoenix plays the Eddington town Sheriff, by the name of Joe Cross, who is struggling to come to terms with the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on the area.
His counterpart, Mayor Ted Garcia, played by Pedro Pascal, stands as the progressive opposition, outwardly conforming to the virus protections.
The two become pitted against one another when Cross decides to fight back against government stipulation and run to be the next mayor himself.
Suspense at its finest
The director’s signature unsettling music throughout sets the tone early on and we are immediately brought to the edge of our seats as we see a wanderer moving through the desolate surroundings of the Albuquerque desert maniacally rambling.
He is a character who becomes essential to the development of Sheriff Joe Cross as he descends towards madness, but the early moments, combined with disjointed and unsettling piano chords set the scene for what becomes a chaotic closing hour.
That said, it has become clear very quickly that upon full release, Eddington will undoubtedly split opinion.
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Divisive subject matter
In the opening minutes we are introduced to the first of several key themes throughout.
COVID-19 precautions - as Cross, an asthmatic, is unhappy about the mandate of wearing face masks when out in public, and is shocked to see how a group of shoppers deal with an elderly man who says he struggles to breathe with one on.
As an audience, we feel compelled to make a choice, and think back to how we acted at the time.
We almost have to pick a side, as we are shown the narrative from the perspective of the old-fashioned sheriff.
Later on, we are then introduced to the second of the most prevalent themes seen throughout, which is the Black Lives Matter movement.
We meet a group of young activists protesting the police brutality in the treatment of George Floyd, which contributes to a tense environment for the running sheriff.
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Some have criticised the film for the timing of its release, with the extremely divisive Donald Trump currently the President of the United States.
Many around the world engaged in activism against the treatment of several marginalized groups.
Next week the film will see its full release, when we will then learn the full extent of the fans’ reactions.
Regardless of your political opinions, Eddington stands as a reminder that being conscious to the world around us is extremely important.
And perhaps Ari Aster has served a purpose by pushing us to think clearly about what we are seeing.
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