Trailer talk: Hellboy 2, Speed Racer & Semi-Pro
Mark takes a look at the trailers to three upcoming movies that are very much on his radar...
Let’s start with…
Hellboy 2: The Golden Army
Of all the trailers out there at the moment, I would have bet on Hellboy 2 being the one that would excite. The trailer certainly delivers impressive effects and you get a good look at the big red thing himself (plus the ever-gorgeous Selma Blair) but for all the fighting, summersaults and coolly delivered lines throughout, there’s a real lack of energy and you leave it feeling distinctly flat. Maybe it’s the guitar rock music in the background – it’s dreadful, it really is. I’m sure Del Toro will deliver on the final result but this doesn’t bode well. The trailer is here.
Speed RacerWith the Warchowski brothers at the helm, this could go either way. The trailer is exactly what you would expect from them. Loud, lots of quick cuts and plenty of effects. One thing that’s very different from the Matrix series is the use of colour. Wow. Every thing, every person looks crisp, sharp and, frankly, very cartoonish. It also looks far more kid-friendly than the PG-13 rating would suggest but then all that’s to be expected considering the source material.
What’s the plot? From the trailer, who knows? As is often the case with the Warchowskis though, that’s not really what’s important here. What it looks like we’re getting is a dumb, fun action flick with some good-looking people (and John Goodman) shouting and pouting a lot. And you know what? Sometimes that’s just fine. The trailer is here.
Semi-ProI’m a huge Will Ferrell fan and his latest offering, Semi-Pro, looks utterly brilliant. Set in the world of the ABA (the American Basketball Association) that went on to merge with the NBA, the film follows the Flint Tropics and their owner-coach-player Jackie Moon, played by Will Ferrell.
With a cast that includes Woody Harrelson and fellow Anchorman star David Koechner, the trailer gives enough belly laughs in two minutes to suggest this could be the comedy hit of the year. I defy anyone to watch the bear wrestling bit and not chuckle at the line ‘If you have a small child use it as a shield. They love the tender meat.’
Not only that but there also a great website (www.semipromovie.com) where you can see the original teaser trailer with Jackie Moon singing about getting very sweaty indeed. Needless to say I cannot wait for this one. The trailer is here.
All three films are released later this year…
Written by