Last week, a trailer came out for a new Spielberg film that focuses on President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. A star–studded cast is on display here, with Daniel Day–Lewis being buffered by a very nice collection of talent. During the two minutes we see quite a bit of impassioned speeches by politicians and very little of the actual war, meaning that war movie fans might want to beware. Only time will tell whether this will live up to its high potential or end up as this year’s “War Horse.”
What we love: Daniel Day–Lewis is back in a leading role, and his Oscar winning performance in “There Will Be Blood” is still fresh in our memories. He’s not alone, either. Around him is a great cast, including Tommy Lee Jones, Sally Field, Joseph Gordon–Levitt, and Adam Driver from “Girls.” Take all of these people and put Spielberg at the helm, and you have potential for greatness.
What we don’t: Daniel Day–Lewis thrived with very odd characters in “There Will Be Blood” and “Gangs of New York,” but we are still unsure whether he can hold up to the same standard with a much more stoic Lincoln. Also, no assurances can be made about the quality of the script. Gordon–Levitt only shows up for half a second in this trailer, which makes us worry that we won’t see a ton of him in the movie.
