It’s understandable when studios and filmmakers develop teasers or trailers that are cryptic to preserve the movie’s plot and keep audiences in suspense. However, the new teaser for Love Me, an upcoming post-apocalyptic romantic drama starring Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun, has taken a completely different approach. The movie’s teaser is so unique—or perhaps so bizarre—that it doesn’t make any sense at all.
The teaser opens with a satellite-shaped ship floating in space, welcoming us to Earth. It mentions storing up to 1.2 thousand petabytes of exciting information about the planet. Then, a new voice emerges, informing us that humans were the most dominant lifeforms on Earth. The clip, which shows the destruction of the planet, abruptly transitions to a supposedly viral video of a dancing dog. Suddenly, the two leads (Stewart and Yeun) appear, singing the opening theme song of the iconic F.R.I.E.N.D.S series. From this moment on, the teaser stops making any sense at all.
Dropping unique promotional clips is nothing new in Hollywood. However, when it comes to a movie that has already faced poor initial reactions, we’re not quite sure how this strategy will work out for Love Me. The initial reactions to the film are highly polarising, with praise directed at the leading duo’s performances and intriguing concepts. However, many critics have pointed out that the directors, Sam and Andy Zuchero, seem to lack control over their creative ideas. The movie’s complicated narrative only adds fuel to the fire.
The film currently holds a “rotten” 47% score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 51 certified reviews, which seems to foretell its underlying issues.
Love Me tells the story of a buoy and a satellite who learn about humanity and themselves. Through their journey, they discover the meaning of life and love, transforming from robotic entities into beings with human-like emotions. Stewart and Yeun portray these characters, showcasing their evolution in a love story that transcends time and space. Bleecker Street and ShivHans Pictures are set to release the movie on January 31. Stay tuned for more updates.