First trailer for Colin Trevorrow’s The Book Of Henry has vibe of child-led throwback thriller

Colin Trevorrow received a lot of flack for Jurassic World, some of it undeserved. It’s mediocre at best and a cynical cash grab even at best, but it’s not totally wretched, just plain wretched. Think of the difference between a bad double cheeseburger and a bad regular cheeseburger.

Trevorrow went much smaller scale for his third film, The Book of Henry. Think of it as an indie-ish palate cleanse before he tackles Star Wars Episode IX (to the ire of some fanboys).

The first trailer for The Book of Henry came out today. You can give it a watch below.

Sure, it’s a movie in which autism is a pseudo-superpower, but there’s something about this trailer that makes me think of those cult child-led movies of the 1980s, like The Boy Who Could Fly or The Quest (aka Frog Dreaming).

Here’s an official synopsis for The Book of Henry:

Sometimes things are not always what they seem, especially in the small suburban town where the Carpenter family lives. Single suburban mother Susan (Naomi Watts) works as a waitress at a diner, alongside feisty friend Sheila (Sarah Silverman). Her younger son Peter (Jacob Tremblay) is a playful 8-year-old. Taking care of everyone and everything is Susan’s older son Henry (Jaeden Lieberher), age 11. Protector to his adoring younger brother and tireless supporter of his often self-doubting mother – and, through investments, of the family – Henry blazes through the days like a comet. Susan discovers that the family next door, which includes Henry’s kind classmate Christina (Maddie Ziegler), has a dangerous secret – and that Henry has devised a surprising plan to help. As his brainstormed rescue plan for Christina takes shape in thrilling ways, Susan finds herself at the center of it.

The Book of Henry comes out June 16th. The Quest (aka Frog Dreaming) can be found at your local video store or TBS circa 1992 around 4:15 am.

Check out the official poster for The Book of Henry below.