Not to be outdone by all the Cannes buzz starting this week, we have our first teaser trailer for Oscar hopeful Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk. Ang Lee follows up his Oscar winning Life of Pi with this film about a young veteran's Victory Tour after fighting in Iraq. Like Pi, his new work blends a flashback narrative with technical wizardry: Lee utilized a high frame rate to create hyperreal action, aiming to create unprecidentally real 3D.
Backed by a massive ensemble including Kristen Stewart, Vin Diesel, Garrett Hedlund, Chris Tucker, Ben Platt, and Steve Martin, the master director looks to be back in the Oscar hunt once again.
Let's break down the highs, lows and inbetweens of the first look:
YES
- No one handles the balance between human intimacy and big canvas themes like Ang Lee. When he takes stylistic risks, they usually pay off (if you forget that Hulk happened).
- This ensemble! It's hard to tell from this first look who could be a potential Supporting nominee, and many players here could be working in tiny roles. But with this large crew, surely someone will stand out.
- For all of the emotional beats that the trailer touches on, I couldn't tell you the film's narrative trajectory and nothing feels spoiled in this first teaser. Always welcome in trailers these days!
- The source novel already has its fair share of prizes, and we all know Lee's track record with literary adaptations.
- Newcomer Joe Alwyn is already emotionally compelling with little dialogue in the trailer. The potential for a major breakthrough actor looks solid.
NO
- The high frame rate experience bombed hard with audiences for The Hobbit and a few shots here are outright garish.
- While a 3D war film feels like an inevitability, are we really ready to experience a recent war in a new dimension?
- Steve Martin has got to stop trying new accents.
- Another whispery cover of a pop song used for emotional effect.
- The risky approach is enticing, but is there much new narrative ground to explore on this war that has inspired so many films already?
MAYBE SO
- While the visual daring of Life of Pi is present, Halftime looks to have the emotional resonance that that many found missing in that film.
- How deep will Lee examine the capitalism satire that the visuals flirt with?
- Both Steve Martin and Kristen Stewart could have "overdue" narratives that lead to nominations they should've received for past work.
- If frame rates and 3D are truly going to be the future, isn't it exciting that Lee is packing them into a drama aimed at adults rather than a franchise?
I'm straddling the maybe so / yes line. Where are you?