'Les Misérables' starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway - trailer review
Les Misérables Directed by: Tom Hooper Starring: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway Rating: Not Yet Rated Release Date: December 14, 2012
TRAILER SCORE: 10/10
Thoughts by TSR: Thanks in large part to Anne Hathaway’s performance of “I Dreamed a Dream” – it’s not technically perfect, but recording the songs live helps make the vocals incredibly raw and powerful – I had chills for the entirety of this trailer. But the images the music plays over are just as striking, from the shot of Hathaway’s Fantine getting her hair chopped off to the sweeping shots of the barricade. It seems impossible that the film will be able to maintain this level of emotion, but based on the source material and the talent involved, I have faith that Les Misérables is going to be something great.
Despite angering some by defeating David Fincher at the Oscars a couple years ago, Tom Hooper really is a talented filmmaker (if you haven’t seen The Damned United, I highly recommend it). And here he’s assembled a fantastic cast, though we only get brief glimpses at most of them. Russell Crowe is an interesting choice for Inspector Javert, but it’s Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean I’m most excited about. I’ve been longing for Jackman to star in a musical film for a long time, so I couldn’t be happier.
I don’t need to see another trailer to get me in the theater – I’ve spent hours marveling at the performances of past Valjeans and Javerts such as Colm Wilkinson and Philip Quast, so I didn’t need this trailer – but I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing one set to “One Day More” or “Do You Hear the People Sing?” Or I can just wait until December to see it all. Winter 2012 is packed with films I’m highly anticipating, but this trailer seals it: Les Misérables is right near the top.