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Honda Civic Type R Video “The Other Side” Is Legitimately Brilliant

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Honda Civic Type R Video

A still from the ingenious Honda Civic Type R video “The Other Side”

The term “genius” is overused these days, but the new Honda Civic Type R video actually earns that distinction. The promotional film, entitled “The Other Side,” is actually two perfectly complementary videos in one: the first about a mild-mannered dad who picks his kids up from school in his Honda Civic, and the second about that same father’s nighttime escapades as a getaway driver who operates a speedy Honda Civic Type R. Take a look at the trailer:

“The Other Side” Trailer – Honda Civic Type R Video

When you first watch the video, it shows you the mild-mannered dad-in-a-Civic story, but whenever you press the “R” key on your keyboard, it switches to the intense Civic Type R crime caper. The best way to approach “The Other Side” is to first watch the normal dad video all the way through, then replay it while holding down your “R” key the whole time for the intense Type R version, and then replay it yet again, this time pressing down the “R” button in random, short intervals so that you can switch back and forth between each story and see just how closely the two films mirror each other. We know that sounds like a lot of time and effort to invest into a car commercial, but trust us: this is more than just a car commercial. It’s like the Citizen Kane of car commercials.

Click here to watch the video, and then come back to this article so that we can have an in-depth discussion about this seminal work of art. Go ahead and truly experience the film by giving it the three separate viewings it requires; we’ll wait.

Honda Civic Type R Video

Please, watch the video in the three different ways. We can wait. We’re just really, really excited to talk about it when you’re finished, that’s all. But we’ll wait.

Wasn’t that awesome??!?!? We mean, first you watch this guy go pick up his kids, and it’s like, what’s the big deal? And they have the cute ending with his children receiving a surprise costume party, and him driving off to go get into his Honda Civic Type R, and you think, well that was OK, I guess.

But then, as you watch the “R” version, you see his crazy night life, working as the getaway driver for two criminals. Suddenly, things start to make more sense, like the totaled car that he drove by during the day, which is now recognizable as the same car that crashed during the chase scene the night before. Just as you start to put the whole thing together, the film smacks you in the face with its brilliant twist ending: this guy was working for the police the whole time! He’s an undercover cop! He knew those officers would be swarming out of the warehouse garage to arrest the criminals, just like he knew those kids would be swarming out of his house’s garage for a surprise party! And oh my God, he wore an Egyptian mask to the party to mirror the ancient Egyptian sculpture that the thieves were trying to take from that mansion! THIS THING HAS SO MANY LAYERS!!!

Honda Civic Type R Video "The Other Side"

Although this is a brilliant film that features deception and masks, it is not – we repeat, NOT – the movie Eyes Wide Shut

As is often the case, this brilliant piece of cinema is a foreign film. And sadly, the vehicle itself is equally exotic, since the Honda Civic Type R is not sold here in the US. But there is still hope that the Japanese automaker will make the vehicle available in America, so until then, we’ll wait. We’re just really, really excited, but we’ll wait…