Slumdog Millionaire trailer review

I love Danny Boyle films. Sunshine was one of my movies of 2007, ditto for 28 Days Later in 2002 and Shallow Grave still stands up today as a classic British film.

His past efforts also prove that he’s not afraid to take on any genre, with Sci-Fi and Horror nestling comfortably alongside more homespun dramatic releases. From the first glimpses of the trailer of Slumdog Millionaire, it’s a little unclear as to which genre box this will fit in.

It certainly has a great initial premise. As Jamal, an orphan living in the slums of Mumbai, is one question away from winning the 20 million rupee grand prize on India’s Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, he is arrested on suspicion of cheating. After all, how can a street kid know all the answers? Seemingly through a series of flashbacks into the orphan’s past, we learn how he answered the questions correctly and what he’s doing on the show in the first place.

Like many modern trailers, this gives away little about the actual plot – remember the days when movies’ entire storylines, including the endings, would be carelessly shown in teasers? Thank goodness then for the inspirational tones of Sigur Rόs that kick in towards the trailer’s final minute. Backed with images of Jamal trying to find a mystery girl, it becomes clearer that this is going to have a strong, romantic back story and a no doubt uplifting ending.

The last time a mainstream Boyle movie tackled romance, he came up with the divisive A Life Less Ordinary. A film I happen to love, it’s also one that many people didn’t take to, its twee, kooky leanings too much for some. There are enough shots in this trailer too to suggest some off-kilter scenes; a glimpse of two people crashing out of a building several stories up certainly raises intrigue.

All in all though, this offers up enough tantalising imagery to raise interest. Boyle’s eye for cracking cinematography looks as solid as ever, lead actor Dev Patel (of Skins fame) looks the part and if all the awards it won at various international film festivals are anything to go by, this could be a winner.