They've finally arrived, just in time for everyone's favorite geekfest, Comic-Con. The trailers for the longly anticipated The Dark Knight Rises, the surprisingly under-the-radar reboot, The Amazing Spider-Man, and to a lesser extent, the major superhero crossover project, The Avengers. All three teaser trailers have strengths and weaknesses, and as good teasers always do, leave audiences with many more questions than answers. Firstly, The Dark Knight Rises, the "epic conclusion" to Nolan's Batman franchise:
I have to say, out of all three I'm most excited for this one. Needless to say, it also has the highest expectations, due to the success of its predecessor and the chilling performance by the late Heath Ledger. Tom Hardy, who played Eames in Nolan's dream-oriented thriller Inception, has the daunting task of following Ledger's footsteps as Batman's latest foe. However, his character Bane (most famous for breaking Batman's back in the comics) is so drastically different than the Joker that the possibility of Hardy completely embracing the role and succeeding in providing Brunce Wayne with a formidable adversary seems very high. Also joining the Nolan trilogy is Academy Award nominated actress Anne Hathaway, who was originally only billed as "Selina Kyle," but since has revealed that she will indeed portray Kyle's morally ambiguous alter-ego, Catwoman. Depending on how Nolan interprets the complex character, Hathaway's strong performances of late could definitely steal the show. At first I was extremely disappointed and skeptical at the news that Catwoman would be making an appearance, but I have enough faith in Nolan to make it work. Now, I could discuss the news surrounding the final film for multiple posts, but I'll save most of my comments for a later time. For now, I'd just like to focus on the teaser.
Firstly, I think it's a bit of a cop-out to have half the trailer comprised of clips from the previous two installments. Granted, I understand that Nolan's goal is to finish the trilogy and bring it full circle, but the overall feel in the teaser for Rises lacks a certain oomph. The Dark Knight's teaser was nothing but a black screen that broke into the Batman insignia, but it was still extremely exciting due to the disheartening conversation between Wayne and Alfred, along with Ledger's terrifying cackle. I think most people knew right then and there that Ledger would be fantastic in the role due to the two sentences he uttered in that teaser. Here, all we get is a quick, half-second glimpse at Hardy as Bane, and at the end, a staggering Batman overwhelmed by Bane's size. It makes me wanting a lot more, which is where the teaser suceeds, but I think fans deserve maybe a tad bit more. Speaking of that quick fight scene, who is the figure in the back, behind Batman? Definitely worth speculating about, but I digress.
Secondly, the very short conversation between Commissioner Gordon and Wayne in the hospital is worth pointing out. I believe this is Wayne because A) the voice is clearly Wayne's-- not Batman's hoarse growl, and B) you can see a human hand on the chair across from Gordon's bed. Besides the possibility that Bane went to town on the commissioner, this also suggests that Gordon has discovered Batman's identity, doesn't have a problem with it, and will encourage Wayne to continue in his vigilante endeavors. Apparently, Gotham is in a bad way after the events of The Dark Knight, and it is up to the one man who everyone thinks is a cop-killer to set things straight. On top of this, the return of the League of Shadows (from Batman Begins) will, I believe, be a major plot point, seeing as Josh Pence is cast as a young Ra's ah Ghul and SPOILERS! a reported cameo by Liam Neeson himself. No matter what the case, Rises is sure to be successful: all that's left is whether or not it will surpass The Dark Knight in excellence.
Next, The Amazing Spider-Man:
Side note: In keeping with the "hipster" persona that Peter Parker seems to have in this film, I'd like to point out I found this trailer before it went mainstream.
I really, really, really want this to be a good movie. I loved director Marc Webb's (500) Days of Summer, but whether or not his success tackling relationship angst will translate well into a full-blown summer comic book blockbuster remains to be seen. Based on the above trailer, it appears the tone will be much more like Begins, with a dark and conflicted protagonist coming to terms with his responsibilities as a hero, and subsequently, as a man. It has a great cast slated: Andrew Garfield (fantastic in The Social Network) will portray the eponymous web-slinger, the uniquely attractive Emma Stone will play Gwen Stacy (no Mary-Jane to be seen), and Rhys Ifans (Luna Lovegood's dad in the 7th Harry Potter movie) will be Curt Conners/The Lizard, the film's antagonist. Along with Martin Sheen, Sally Field, and Denis Leary in supporting roles, there's no question the acting should be superb.
I also love (what I think is) Conner's voiceover in the teaser. "Ready to play God? Do you have any idea what you really are?" Yes, this can be construed as intentionally ambiguous, pseudo-intellectual mumbo-jumbo, but the relationship between hero and villian in comic book films are always the most interesting. I don't think this will disappoint in that department. Garfield and Stone seem like they will have great chemistry as well, which will definitely (and should) play a major role in the story. And of course, Martin Sheen and Sally Field are the most paternal and maternal actors out there, so they're perfect choices. We know the story of Spiderman, and by the time this film comes out, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man will be only a decade old. The controversy lies in whether or not it's too soon to introduce a reboot, but I have a feeling this incarnation will be a great film. It has more of an indie vibe to it anyway to distinguish itself from its predecessor, but I also think that if the previous trilogy did not exist at all, Webb's interpretation would have far more hype and it would be held in the same regard as Nolan's Batman pieces.
Lastly, The Avengers trailer. Now I have no idea when the teaser will be pulled from this site, so check it out as soon as possible:
the avengers trailer
Not much is known about this project besides who will be in it, and the teaser doesn't reveal much more. The rumor is that a trailer for the film will premiere after the credits of Friday's Captain America: The First Avenger, so definitely check that movie out soon (you probably will if you have any interest in seeing The Avengers). Whether or not the attached trailer will be the one in the above link or a full length is unknown, but I would guess it is just the teaser.
Basically, this movie is going to be amazing or fall incredibly short. Will the stars try and outdo each other? Will the actors just not have the right chemistry? Will the plot make sense? Is it worth watching if Natalie Portman isn't even in it? These questions are just a few of the doubts that can be raised, and the teaser doesn't do much to quell them. You can hear the audience cheer for seeing the heroes together on screen, and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye is enough to get me in a chair, but there was never any doubt a project of this proportion will make tons of money at the box office. The real question is, did that teaser get you even more invested in the project, and if not, what did you want to see more of? Sound off!
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