My impression of Chappie from the first trailer wasn't that great. Did trailer number two change my mind? Surprisingly, yes.
Unlike the first trailer, which gave the impression the film would be nothing but a retelling of Short Circuit, this trailer gives the impression that the movie has more depth. Writer/director Neill Blomkamp may have made a thematically interesting film, one that looks at automation and emergent intelligence in a thoughtful way. Or it could just be a bunch of robots beating up on each other and starring some weird looking South African rapper chick who creeps me out. One or the other.
There is a better idea of the scope of the story in this trailer: a look at how automation could rapidly spread in society; the varying reactions people could have to AI; and a dramatic and action-filled clash between those afraid of the emerging intelligence and those nurturing it. The "cutesy" elements of Chappie's individuation are played down and more emphasis is placed on the "big picture" elements of the story, as well as ramping up the action.
District 9 is a great movie. Elysium was a disappointing mess. Which way will Chappie go? Blomkamp knows how to deliver solid visuals. But can he tell an effective story? Can he get good performances out of his actors? Can he deliver another District 9? Or will we have to slog through another dull, cliche ridden story, which has a message (which I appreciate), but thinks its audience is so dumb that it bashes you over the head with it (which I don't)? I guess we'll have to wait and see; but I'm more optimistic now than I was prior to seeing this trailer.
As a side note, given the design of the robots and the overall feel of the society presented (experiencing waves of new tech with a restive underclass) I wonder if this is supposed to be a prequel to Elysium? As long as we don't get any scenes of Jodie Foster trying to decide on an accent, I'll be okay with that.
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