Trailers (Due to age, may no longer be available)

Posters (Due to age, may no longer be available)

Poster Rating: D+; C; C+

Review: A placeholder poster with some character, albeit very little. Having a scene from the film is engaging, but hardly artistic.

I would have expected something a little less bland for the first official poster of the film. Yes, putting the new James Bond front-and-center may bring the concept to a new audience, but the subject of the film will send most of those potential new viewers away from the teater.

While I think the second poster is a bit more evocative of the film’s subject, the third poster is altogether more engaging. It shows the grim determination and trepidation of the Daniel Craig’s character, which is a far more effective selling point than an impassive craig leading refugees.

Trailer Rating: B; A-

Review: Is this Edward Zwick (Glory, The Last Samurai) at his best or worst? Who knows for sure there are more elements from The Last Samurai in the film than any of his others, so I’m thinking the movie’s going to follow the same critical trajectory. I’m ambivalent about the film, however, as the poster neither outright disappoints me nor blows me away.

While the first trailer left much doubt in my mind as to whether the film could pass for both popular entertainment and serious historical social commentary, this new trailer mostly assures the fact. There are some Zwickian elements here, but the subject and the presentation seem far more serious than Zwick has ever been, which is a good thing.

Oscar Prospects:

Paramount Vantage could easily push the film to a nomination, but the question is will it be deserving. I could see it contending for Best Picture, Actor – Daniel Craig, Director, Cinematography, Art Direction and Score. Anything else will need to wait for we get closer to release and see more from a later trailer.

Release Date:

December 31, 2008

Page Revisions:

January 19, 2008 – Original
February 2, 2008 – New Poster
August 3, 2008 – New Poster
October 19, 2008 – New Release Date (changed from 12/26/08)
November 2, 2008 – New Trailer; New Poster; Buy the Poster Enabled