Danny Boyle is one of the finest directors working today, directing films such as Shallow Grave, 28 Days Later, Slumdog Millionaire and Trainspotting. Steve Jobs (2015) was another great film, but it was one which didn’t live up to the expectations that the producers, Sony had for it due to poor box office returns. Next on Boyle’s plate is a sequel to Trainspotting (1996)- working title Trainspotting 2 based on the book “Porno” by Irvine Welsh. Will Trainspotting 2 be a case of too much of a good thing?
Boyle and MacGregor at the Cannes film festival.
Both harrowing and funny the first Trainspotting illustrates the highs and lows of drug addiction. It made stars of Ewan MacGregor, Jonny Lee Miller, Robert Carlyle and Boyle. Certain moments from the film are seared into pop culture history. The surreal sequence where MacGregor dives into the filthy toilet and serenely swims about and the disturbing vision of the dead baby being particular high (or low) lights. It is a landmark film in the reinvigoration of British cinema and remains so.
However, Trainspotting 2 could potentially diminish its legacy. If the film isn’t good, then will it undermine the importance of the original film? It’s a risk to make a sequel to a straight up drama film, even once with darkly comedic elements. Even more of a risk is to make a sequel 20 years after the original. If an element of the film is not up to scratch, the reason for making it comes into question. Is the film necessary? Does it need to be made?
Exploring the lives of the various surviving character of Trainspotting 20 years on is enticing. What have Renton, Sick Boy, Spud and Begbie learnt? What are they doing with their lives? How have their outlooks and philosophies changed? This is an interesting proposition even if it isn’t one anyone asked for!
Will the ageing of the characters remove the vitality and energy of the original film? That’s my main worry. Will it still be a Trainspotting film if all the characters are suffering mid-life crises? We’ll have to wait and see.
Overall though, I trust Danny Boyle. He’s a fantastic, exciting director who knows how to make a film visually interesting. He gets great performances from actors and has a deft control of pace and tone in his films. He’s such a talented director and even when he’s not firing on all cylinders (Trance, The Beach), he is still a vital and intelligent filmmaker. I had similar fears for Richard Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some!! but that film was great so I hope Danny Boyle can pull off a similar feat. Retreading familiar ground isn’t necessarily a sign of diminishing returns. With imagination and skill a filmmaker can make something which lives up to the original film’s legacy whilst also being something discernibly different.
If the film is a disappointment, then I hope it does not damage the original film’s power and influence.
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