Trailer Tracker: Comic-Con Edition

Player Affinity never rests when it comes to trailers and thanks to San Diego’s Comic-Con a good chunk of new and interesting clips were revealed, some of which so cool we thought they deserved their own edition. First we have In Time, the sci-fi action thriller starring Justin Timberlake in a world where longevity is more valuable than gold, then Haywire, Steven Soderbergh’s pissed-off-chick-on-a-mission revenge flick. The out-of-nowhere angle comes from the independent effort Knights of Badassdom, and finally we recap on some already featured trailers that show promising new life. We’ve included the Cannes award winner Drive and the soon-to-be-upon-us Rise of the Planet of the Apes. There’s no monkey business when it comes to trailers, especially if it’s Comic-Con.

New clips this week:

In Time
Haywire
Knights of Badassdom
Drive
Rise of the Planet of the Apes

In Time

From dorky pop idol to scoffed at wannabe movie star, to well, movie star, Justin Timberlake (like his music or not) has showed his chops in dramatic and comedic fare in kind. Now it’s onto the surly, shaved-head action genre with In Time, set in a futuristic world where not only does your life “run out” at age twenty-five, but it also has become the new currency. After an unexpected windfall, Timberlake’s Will Salas finds himself on the run from those who would take that power for themselves. Written and directed by Oscar nominee Andrew Niccol (The Truman Show, Lord of War), this clip promises high-concept, action-packed fun with a number of game stars that include Amanda Seyfried, Olivia Wilde, Cillian Murphy and Big Bang Theory’s Johnny Galecki. Keep in mind I thought the similarly toned Repo Men looked fantastic and that turned out to be a simmering pot of puke, but with the extended Comic-Con footage I am more than sold on the premise and stars — it can’t come soon enough.

Haywire

The (wo)man-on-a-mission genre is one that is as conventional as it is enduring, but sometimes all it takes is the right director to punch up the production, or the right script to bring a slightly new angle at the least. We are graced with both in Haywire as Steven Soderbergh takes the helm of Lem Dobbs’ (Dark City, The Score) screenplay. Debuting on screen (Soderbergh loves to cast “realistic” leads, just see The Girlfriend Experience) is mixed martial arts fighter Gina Carano in the lead as a betrayed black-ops agent. Like many of the man’s works the supporting cast is outstanding: Antonio Banderas, Michael Douglas, Bill Paxton, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender and Channing Tatum to name a few. The action looks crisp, though the story boring, so personally I am torn. All I can do is weigh in favor of the talent and pray for a pleasant surprise. 

Knights of Badassdom

Live-Action Role Players (or LARPers as they are apparently called) get a new look in Knights of Badassdom. Fun and games don’t quite add up as during a staged quest when a few LARPers summon a succubus (think Jennifer’s Body but more medieval. Oh wait, you didn’t see that movie? Ok, it’s a female demon) and its up to a band of geeks that include Steve Zahn, Peter Dinklage, Summer Glau and Ryan Kwanten to thwart the blood-thirsty temptress’ plot. I was not sold on the geeky premise and unfortunately the trailer did little to indicate I had been misinformed by the synopsis; it looks cheap, awkward and phoned-in. I love to be proven wrong, however, and the cast that's heavy on proven television stars includes some of my personal favorite comedians and versatile thespians. Plus, I’m not one to count out a new studio as is the case with IndieVest. Prove me wrong, everyone, prove me wrong.

Drive

We featured a clip from Drive way back in the day, but that was before it won the Cannes prize for best director and certainly (and obviously) before we got this red-band trailer that promises a juicy blend of action, noir and drama. Ryan Gosling is a stuntman who moonlights as a hired hand for those certain high-octane missions. I am really looking forward to his effort; anything in the vein of an intelligent action flick entices me, especially amidst blockbuster season. Just watch the clip and you should have no problems getting a little giddy.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Rise of the Planet of the Apes has now been twice-featured on Trailer Tracker thanks to some continual new footage and down weeks in content (no offense intended). It bears no matter as this is the crème de la crème of ape-shit antics … with apes. There is no plot in this trailer and you know the score. This is a brazen showing of exceptional special effects, blockbuster fun and exceptionally cut footage.