A Trailer That Feels Like a Eulogy
“Some things in this life you can't get back…”
The line hangs in the air like gunsmoke in the new trailer for Rust, Joel Souza's Western thriller. But the real weight behind those words isn't cinematic—it's the ghost of Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer killed on set in 2021 when a prop gun held by Alec Baldwin discharged a live round.
Hollywood has a long history of finishing troubled productions (The Crow, Gladiator), but Rust isn't just another movie. It's a wound—one that reopening feels less like perseverance and more like defiance.
The Film vs. The Fallout
The plot? A fugitive grandfather (Baldwin) and his grandson (Patrick Scott McDermott) fleeing across 1880s Kansas. The reality? A production that became synonymous with tragedy.
- The Incident: On October 21, 2021, Baldwin's prop gun fired, killing Hutchins and injuring Souza.
- The Aftermath: Lawsuits, criminal charges (later dropped), and a fractured industry debate over on-set safety.
- The Return: Filming resumed in 2023 with Bianca Cline replacing Hutchins as DP.
The trailer itself is slick—dusty vistas, tense standoffs, Baldwin in grizzled outlaw mode. But every frame feels haunted.
Should Rust Have Been Finished?
Hollywood's rule: The show must go on. But at what cost?
The Case For:
- A tribute to Hutchins' work (the film premiered at Camerimage, a cinematography festival).
- A crew that fought to finish what they started.
The Case Against:
- Exploitation optics—profiting from a preventable tragedy.
- Baldwin's return as star and producer (a role that put him in legal crosshairs).
“It should've been canned,” says the original source. And yet, here we are.
The Uncomfortable Truth
This isn't The Crow, where Brandon Lee's death became part of the film's mythos. This is a modern tragedy—one that exposed Hollywood's reckless corners. The industry tightened rules on prop guns post-Rust, but the film itself is a relic of the old, broken system.
Watching the trailer feels like staring at a scar. The question isn't “Will it be good?” but “Should it exist?”
Final Verdict: Art or Atrocity?
Rust drops in theaters May 2025. Some will boycott. Others will morbidly curiosity-watch. But the real legacy? A reminder that some things—like trust, safety, and a life—really can't be gotten back.
What do you think? Should Rust have been shelved—or was finishing it the right call? Sound off below.
