'The Rhythm Section' Trailer: Blake Lively Wants Revenge

After a few delays, Reed Morano's The Rhythm Section is finally finding its way to theaters early next year, and we now have a trailer to prove it. The action-thriller stars Blake Lively as a woman who finds herself set on a path of bloody revenge to find the people responsible for killing her family. And while it's true we've seen this kind of "lone person out for revenge" tale before, this trailer looks promising. Watch The Rhythm Section trailer below.

The Rhythm Section is based on a book by Mark Burnell (who also wrote the screenplay), and it's actually the first in a series of stories focused on main character Stephanie Patrick. One can imagine Paramount is hoping to launch some sort of franchise here should The Rhythm Section end up being a hit. But if not, we'll have to make do with this first film, which definitely looks like it's worth checking out.

In The Rhythm Section, Blake Lively plays Stephanie Patrick, "an ordinary woman on a path of self-destruction after her family is tragically killed in a plane crash. When Stephanie discovers that the crash was not an accident, she enters a dark, complex world to seek revenge on those responsible and find her own redemption." Jude Law and Sterling K. Brown also star.

If you're wondering why the movie is called The Rhythm Section, the book's synopsis offers some insight:

Stephanie is approached and recruited by an extremely covert intelligence organization. She is young, smart, and beautiful – and has no family, making her the perfect candidate. The organization offers her a deal. She must undergo rigorous training; learn how to control her heart rate and breathing ("the rhythm section"); and learn how to efficiently use weapons. Then, she will assume a new identity and commit acts of terrorism on behalf of the organization. When she completes these assignments successfully – and proves her loyalty – she will be offered the opportunity to take out the terrorists who brought down flight NEO027. She has nothing to lose.

All in all, I like what I see here. I used to be mostly uninterested in Lively's work, but her turns in The Shallows and especially A Simple Favor have made me a fan. I'm also a fan of the work of director Reed Morano, and I'd love for her to keep getting bigger projects to work with.

The Rhythm Section was originally slated for a February 22, 2019 release, but was bumped to November 22, 2019. Now, it'll shoot its way into theaters January 31, 2020.