Film Preview: Child 44 (2015)

Poster

Poster #1

Additional posters can be found below.

Trailer Link

Release Date:

April 17, 2015

Synopsis:

From IMDb: “A disgraced member of the military police investigates a series of nasty child murders during the Stalin-era Soviet Unio.”

Poster: B- / B+ / B- / C+ (5) / C (3) / B-

Review: (#1) Using a blank white background is dangerous with poster design. Sure, it draws the eye to the central image, but if that image is bland or uninteresting, the viewer loses interest. This poster almost succumbs to that frustrating tendency, but the central image is at least compelling enough to require a deeper look.

(#2) This design hearkens back to a compelling period of protest poster design, which seems fitting for a film with this type of premise. (#3) Falling more in line with traditional poster designs, this uses the railroad motif from the first design to solid, though not spectacular effect. (#4-#8) This series of five character posters employs the same internal motif, which makes them feel as if they blend together too well. (#9-#11) There are original details in each of these character designs, but the overriding design elements just don’t merit interest. (#12) A step back to the right direction, this one is about on par with the first and third designs.

Trailer: C+

Review: The premise is pointedly clear and the stakes are high, but the Russian accents are a bit off-putting at first and the trailer moves too slowly to elicit excitement.

Oscar Prospects:

It’s hard to say with a film that releases in April. Typically, that window is reserved for non-contenders, but early-year efforts have done decently well in recent years, which could enable it enter contention. Really, the only thing I can see the film competing for is Best Actor for Tom Hardy and even that is an iffy proposition.