Let's not mince words: the first look photo from Werner Herzog's Bucking Fastard is chilling. But not in the usual way. This isn't your typical horror-tinged drama—it's Herzog doing what Herzog does best: giving you something that feels like déjà vu and a nightmare had a baby.
The image features Kate and Rooney Mara—yes, the Hollywood sister act—channeling a pair of identical twins who look like they just walked off the set of The Others or Mulholland Drive. There's something about their gaze, their posture, their stillness. It's not fear. It's… too calm for that. Too deliberate. And that's what makes it creepy as hell.
We've seen “twins” before in pop culture, but not like this. Not filtered through Herzog's existential lens.
A Hook Worthy of Herzog
Here's the uncomfortable truth: most “first look” photos are fluff. PR junk disguised as substance. But not this one. This photo demands attention. Like an eerie Polaroid found in a thrift store drawer, it dares you to ask: What happened before this moment? And worse—what comes after?
If you're feeling uneasy just looking at it, good. That's the point.
The Real Story Behind the Film
Herzog isn't pulling this out of thin air. The film is based on real-life twins Freda and Greta Chaplin, who briefly made British tabloid headlines in the 1980s for becoming sexually obsessed with their neighbor. A restraining order followed. Headlines called them the “sex-crazed twins.”
In his memoir Every Man for Himself and God Against All, Herzog wrote that they were “the only identical twins we know of who speak synchronously.” That's not just a weird fact. It's cinematic gold. Dialogue, literally doubled.
From Bad Lieutenant to Badder Twins
Herzog's last great fiction feature was Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans—a film that felt like watching Nicolas Cage channel both God and methamphetamine at once. Since then, Herzog's been quiet in the fiction realm. But Bucking Fastard could be a return to form.
And the Mara sisters? Let's just say if there's anyone who can make eerie feel elegant, it's them.
Why the Title Isn't a Joke
“Bucking Fastard” sounds like a joke until it isn't. Reportedly born from a verbal slip in court, it's both funny and tragic. The title becomes a symbol of confusion, obsession, and identity—all themes the film seems ready to tackle.
It's also a meta-commentary on media consumption. Are we laughing at the title, or what it reveals about us?
Twins, Doubles, and The Horror of Seeing Yourself
In film, twins are rarely just twins. They're metaphors. For duality. For madness. For the self seen from the outside. Think of Dead Ringers, The Shining, or The Prestige. Herzog's twins aren't just creepy—they're philosophical. Like mirrors arguing with themselves.
The Dublin Vibe: Setting as Character
Why Dublin? It's not random. The city's gray tones, narrow alleys, and misty mornings offer the perfect dreamlike setting for this story. It's a city that feels like it remembers every ghost who walked through it.
Audience Reactions: Divided but Hooked
Online reactions to the photo? Mixed. Some people are already obsessed. Others don't get it. But that's perfect. Because a Herzog film shouldn't be immediately digestible. It should sit with you like a glass of scotch at 3am.
You'll Either Love It or Hate It
Herzog's Bucking Fastard might just be the weirdest, wildest thing you see this year. And it all starts with that one image—the photo that's more than just a teaser. It's a manifesto.
The only question left is: will you dare to watch?
