Film Preview: Unbroken (2014)

Poster

Poster #1

Additional posters can be found below.

Trailer Link

Release Date:

December 25, 2014

Synopsis:

From IMDb: “A chronicle of the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who was taken prisoner by Japanese forces during World War II.”

Poster: B / C / B+ / C+

Review: (#1 & #2) Both designs go for suggestive instead of overt, which make them appealing. The second design is fitting, but doesn’t dig into the film’s themes, just its setup. The first does a better job highlighting an iconic scene from the trailer, which should help tie it nicely into the film’s marketing efforts without being maudlin.

(#3) A more colorful approach to the first design, which adds immediate depth. (#4) Meanwhile, the primary English-language design has details you can spend time examining, but they aren’t interesting enough to be contemplated.

Trailer: B+ / B

Review: (#1) The trailer hits many of the high points of the film and positions it squarely at the feet of those who are fans of inspiring war dramas. It looks equal parts Chariots of Fire and The Deer Hunter, which might help it excel at the box office when such fare is not doing terribly well.

(#2) This second outing deals less with Zamperini’s life before becoming a POW, hoping to highlight the strength and struggles he faces in the Japanese prisoner camp. It definitely establishes the film as one about perseverance through adversity, but may be a bit dreary to appeal to a broad audience.

Oscar Prospects:

Angelina Jolie’s adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand’s novel about World War II hero Louis Zamperini marks her second outing as director. With a script written by Oscar winners Joel & Ethan Coen and Oscar nominees Richard LaGravanese and William Nicholson, the inspiring story of Zamperini may be a potent force at the Oscars. Photographed by 11-time Oscar nominee Roger Deakins and composed by 6-time Oscar nominee Alexandre Desplat and two-time Oscar nominee Tim Squyers performing editing duties, the film could prove powerful, but it could also be a complete bust, we’ll have to wait to see what critics have to say.