When the trailer for The Adventures of Tintin was released online last month, it was met with some push-back from Steven Spielberg fans because of its Zemeckis-y tumble into the uncanny valley. Good thing, then, that Spielberg has another December release lined up to please his many devotees: the motion capture-free War Horse. The first trailer for the World War I drama about a boy (Jeremy Irvine) and his horse has arrived online, and you might want to bring a tissue to watch it ahead.
Shut up! You're crying! Ahem. Based on the book by Michael Morpurgo, it wouldn't be far-fetched to imagine War Horse becoming a major player in the Oscar race later this year; after all, the stage version of the book was converted into a Tony Award-winning play. The only problem with having a knockout trailer and immediate awards-player expectations? Well, the expectations. The last time Spielberg had a surefire Oscar contender lined up for December, it was Munich, and it disappointed with just five nominations and no wins. Still...
VERDICT: Off to the races.