To the Wonder Directed by: Terrence Malick Starring: Ben Affleck, Olga Kurylenko, Rachel McAdams Rating: R Release Date: April 12, 2013
Trailer Score: 8/10
Thoughts by TSR: One thing that can always be counted on with a Terrence Malick film is that it will be visually stunning. True to form, this trailer for To the Wonder is filled with beautiful imagery from beginning to end – one shot that stands out is McAdams walking down the hallway with the light in front of her. Malick’s films have always looked great, but I sincerely hope that he and Emmanuel Lubezki continue working together forever. This looks very much in line with some of the visuals in The Tree of Life, and that makes me very happy indeed.
The contributions of Lubezki and director Malick appear to be in top form, which leaves the cast and writer Malick as question marks (though I do like what Javier Bardem has to say in his voiceover). Whatever Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, and Olga Kurylenko are bringing remains mostly unclear. Still, thanks to Bardem’s words, the imagery, and the music, this trailer manages to sell To the Wonder as a beautiful story of love and life. It wouldn’t be fair to go in demanding it reach the level of The Tree of Life – my favorite film of 2011 – but it’s worth getting excited any time the theater is blessed with a new work by Terrence Malick.