Some action movies talk your ear off. Others just grab you by the collar, toss you into a muscle car, and let the roaring engine do the storytelling. The first teaser trailer for Motor City makes it clear which camp this film belongs to — and honestly, with Alan Ritchson in the driver's seat, we wouldn't have it any other way.
Set in gritty 1970s Detroit, this revenge thriller is built on bone-crunching action, striking visuals, and a thunderous rock score. The film is being pitched less as a chatty crime drama and more as a full-body cinematic experience. The brief? Say less, hit harder. And with only five lines of dialogue in the entire movie, they're sticking to it.
What Is 'Motor City' About?
Directed by Potsy Ponciroli (Old Henry) from a script by Chad St. John, Motor City stars Ritchson as a man wronged by a group of criminals who frame him for a crime he didn't commit. After losing the love of his life, he embarks on a blood-soaked warpath for revenge. The twist? The film contains only five spoken lines of dialogue. Subtle? Absolutely not. Potentially very satisfying? Big yes.
The cast is stacked with talent, including Shailene Woodley (Big Little Lies, The Fault in Our Stars), Pablo Schreiber (Halo, 13 Hours), Ben Foster (Hell or High Water, 3:10 to Yuma), and Ben McKenzie (Gotham, The O.C.).
Jack White Brings the Noise
One of the most exciting elements of Motor City is its music. The film features a score by rock icon Jack White, which feels almost too perfect for a Detroit-set revenge movie with operatic scale and a rock-and-roll pulse. White's involvement was teased by Ben Foster last year at the Toronto International Film Festival, where he described the film as "a rock disco revenge film" and "like a graphic novel."
Foster also shared some intriguing insights into working with Ritchson. "He's very tall and very muscular and he's very handsome," Foster joked, before getting serious about Ritchson's acting ambitions. "He's terrific as a mover. I think he wants to do some deeper work or rather different kinds of work than he's been doing, and that's a joy."
For fans of Ritchson's work on Reacher, this feels like a natural next step — but with a much more experimental edge. If you're looking for more thrillers that push boundaries, check out our list of International Thrillers That Are Perfect From Start to Finish.
Release Date and What's Next
Independent Film Company will release Motor City in theaters on July 24. With its unique approach to storytelling and a killer soundtrack, this is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated action films of the summer. Stay tuned to ShowtimeSpot for more updates.
