Yes No Maybe So: "Passengers"
Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 11:15AM Do you like the Passengers trailer? The film, opening December 21st, is a mainstream-aimed original. Those are not quite an endangered species (yet) even though it feels that way after this summer of numbing sequels, remakes, and franchise extensions.
YES
• I think we all see an Oscar nomination for Visual Effects coming. Maybe Production Design. Nice optics.
• ...and I wasn't talking about Pratt & Lawrence, but them, too! If you're only going to give us two actors for the bulk of a movie, make them charismatic ones. Pratt & Lawrence are probably money well spent
• It looks like a blockbuster that may actually bust blocks (for a change)
• Feeling all the water imagery
NO
• Why did this trailer give plot away when it had plenty of visual hooks and starpower to entice us without plot elements? We were hoping to be more teased than told
• Despite the visuals there's something grabby missing here, don't you think? But (if you agree) what?
MAYBE SO
• Michael Sheen as an android bartender without nether regions. Is this punishment for all the action he gets on Masters of Sex? This could go wrong on the comic relief or 'why cast a famous actor for this?' spectrum
• The Imitation Game is fine but did anything about it scream "Give Morten Tyldum a sci-fi epic!'
• Something feels a little 'We're in a Movie' performative about the chemistry. At least in these bite sized doses. Wouldn't it be weird if Pratt & Lawrence were not money well spent?
• Jennifer Lawrence did not receive the memo from Princess Leia on taping down your breasts to prevent excess jiggling in outerspace. She's also spotted in a tank top and all wet. Unlike much of the internet The Film Experience totally appreciates the exploitation of star beauty (can we be adults and just admit that erotic appeal is a component of stardom and always has been?). That said, it's always more satisfying when it's gender balanced. Why isn't Chris Pratt jogging like Theroux or at least shirtless to match her?
Reader Comments (23)
I'm a Yes on Jennifer Lawrence alone. I didn't consider myself a fan of Jennifers, but her charisma is undeniable, what a movie star.
No thanks.
Jennifer is Jennifer and Pratt is Pratt,I don't see acting noms,loathed TIG and Cumberbatch in it.
Yeah, I'm not quite feeling it. They're trying as hard as possible in their own personas, but this trailer makes it seem like Pratt and Lawrence didn't quite click. This movie with Saldana over Lawrence or Cooper over Pratt might have had the trailer look like it was working, but this doesn't look like it'll quite work. Pratt and Lawrence are both HUGE stars, so this is probably pushing at least a billion unless it's Transcendence level bad (and even then, that would still *only* result in a $700 million or so end result), but this doesn't seem like an Oscar play.
No thank you, not with Pratt - can't stand the guy anymore.
His muscle mass and success has gone to his head ever since Guardians Of The Galaxy.
And to think, I used to really like him on Parks and Rec...
And the less said about J Law the better!
And I disagree with you, Nathaniel, about the visual effects -
to me they look cheap.
I smell a turkey, actually.
It's gonna be Gigli in Space.
Gobble gobble, ya'll!
I'm on the maybe so. Yes for it being an original blockbuster (please don't this turn into a franchise). But no for it looking kinda generic. The plot points are so obvious and all there in the trailer already, let's hope there' s a secret twist. And maybe this is an unpopular opinion, because I don't really buy into the J Lawrence craze, but she looks bored when she's together with Pratt and I don't really feel the chemistry. It feels more than just a little 'We're in a Movie' performative to me..
Whatever producer got this to come together must be a genius, because this seems engineered for as much mass appeal to the current zeitgeist as possible. Up to and including a middlebrow director who won't try anything risky with the material.
I'm a yes. Though I reserve the right to make jokes about the seemingly derivative plot elements.
I'm a yes. I love both those actors as genuine Movie Stars ! Ulrich - Pratt always seems sweet and genuine in interviews post weight loss As he was before.
Yes - an original adult Sci-fi movie.
No - Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt. Charisma is not a substitute for actually being able to act.
Hell no - Morten Tyldum. The imitation game was as pedestrian a directing job that I can remember. Sci-fi movies, at the least, are visually appealing and I don't think he's got that in them.
I'm an overall maybe (if the reviews are amazing, I'll watch it).
Maybe...
It's rare these days that I see a movie trailer that makes me think, "hmm, my parents would really like that," without meaning it to be insulting. I expect this to be a pretty sizeable holiday hit at the box office. As far as Oscar, I think Pratt and Lawrence have movie star charisma in spades, but it seems more likely to be a visual category play than a major category one.
Yeah, looks mediocre to me... but... If it is so bad that it turns out to be Gigli in space, then I am all for it. Gobble Gobble!
I have high regard for Lawrence and she looks good. I have really only seen Pratt in Jurassic World and I didn't like him as much as I wanted to. He seemed a bit wooden. And he seems a bit wooden in the trailer, too. Hope I'm wrong.
The trailer gave me an Interstellar vibe - as in "Very impressive and polished. What time is it?", but I'm happy to be wrong about that, too.
I'm very much a MS, but I can't wait until J-Law learns the "something I have to tell you". Good acting or bad acting, it will be a must-see moment.
They probably should've called it Beautiful Movie Stars in Space but, whatever, I'm in. Mainly for the eye candy; I can't say I'm expecting an exciting original plot or thrilling direction. The trailer already looks derivative of 2001, GRAVITY and heaps of other films.
Yes, I will see it for Pratt and Lawrence. I watch anything either of them make. But do I expect it to be good based on this trailer...? Maybe...
Pratt and Lawrence look fine as usual...the visuals are impressive... the robot bartender reminds me of "The Shining"
I'm maybe on this. The premise is cool as I also like the idea of Michael Sheen as an android. I do like Chris Pratt but I'm kind of tired of seeing J-Law as the go-to Xmas Oscar actress.
I am a yes. The film at least looks interesting. While Pratt seems likeable, Lawrence easliy out acts him in the trailer. I admit she isn't the end all be all of acting, but she has a charming easygoing quality. Her smile about the robot asking her out seems so genuine.
But based on the trailer it looks like Pratt gets more focus. How much screen time does Lawrence actually get? Is she a real lead or could she be pushed to supporting?
Is this a remake of Disney's Rocketman?
Oh gosh. This looks bad. Like, seriously bad. I was a YES pre-trailer. Now I'm a NO. Hokey af.
I don't get the obsession America has w/ Pratt, there is nothing that stands out about any of his performances save for MAYBE Guardians but for people to be calculating him into any Oscar love based on his resume is completely unfounded. The only times he was "close to the sun" were his Critics noms for Guardians and Jurassic both times in the Action category which almost never figure into Oscar and for Zero Dark Thirty, which no one remembers him in, and Parks and Rec, Critics Choice nom... howwwww and whyyyyy... he's like Ben Affleck except, worse than him, cause he's not him. p.s. I feel so douchey for using the close to the sun metaphor...
I'm a big yes on anything that looks like science fiction combined with intelligence. And it's pretty.