Trailerblazing -- Dead Man Down/Olympus Has Fallen

Which cinema buff does not love trailers? They are the first part of a film that is decidedly ours, the first point of contact with the characters and the story and the first rush of excitement that a film can give its audience. In the spirit of contemplation, I have decided to leave some space each week for trailers that catch my eye and this week I am looking at two March releases. 

Dead Man Down -- March 8, 2013 -- directed by Niels Arden Oplev -- starring Colin Farrell, Noomi Rapace, Dominic Cooper, Terrence Howard, Isabelle Huppert

The first thing that comes to mind? Ambiance and more ambiance. Being that Oplev had also directed the original Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, we know that gritty visuals, uncompromising yet stylized violence and tough-as-nails characters are a given. I am loving the idea of Farrell as a not-so-good and not-so-bad guy, Howard as a gangster without a shred of conscience and Rapace as a femme fatale with a twist. The story seems like a post-millennial generation noir, with plenty of action to spare. However, I hope that the film does not get too eager with its slow motion sequences. When it comes to effects, less is always more, unless we are talking about Avatar. All in all, I am really looking forward to this one. It has been a while since we saw a truly engaging, adult thriller that detonates its audiences' expectations like a grenade and this film has that kind of potential. 

 

Olympus Has Fallen -- March 22, 2013 -- directed by Antoine Fuqua -- starring Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett, Ashley Judd

This trailer thrilled me to no end. I love a good action film, I love this entire cast and the context of international intrigue gives the screenwriters a whole lot to play with. Sure, there are some lines and situations that bring Air Force One to mind, but the story seems to pose some interesting quandaries for the two principal characters and the effects look like they will be a blast to enjoy on the big screen. I also hope that the film signals a new, more mature genre era. Not all viewers are enthralled by Transformers and its ilk; some of us prefer to see relationships and issues being played out within a slam-bang deck of cards. Olympus Has Fallen could be a sleeper or an outright hit. Based on the trailer, there really is no other option.

Happy viewing to all! See you next week!