Super Bowl LII turned out to be a real barn-burner and though fewer trailers ran during this years ad space than in past gridiron showdowns, those that showed up brought their A-game. The nights MVP? Netflix, who blitzed everyone with an Internet connection courtesy of a surprise sequel release thats undoubtedly left dozens of Cloverfield fans dozing off at their desks. From Marvels upcoming all-star blitz to the latest blockbuster featuring the Rock jumping off of something very, very tall, heres how this years Super Bowl movie trailers stacked up. Watch em all, from worst to best.
Skyscraper
Whats the deal?
The Rock goes Die Hard when a cataclysmic threat traps Dwayne Johnson (playing a security expert and former FBI flack with one prosthetic foot, the rare instance of Chekov trading the gun-on-the-mantle for an entire limb!) and his innocent family in a tower under siege. In keeping with the storied tradition of past DwayJo showcases San Andreas and the later Fast and Furious sequels, one glorious wide shot shows an impossible jump into a crumbling building. Infernos havent towered like this since, well .
Howd it do?
Forget that the big centerpiece effects shot approximately recycles what is becoming Johnsons signature move; its all the same-old-same-old, from the creepy slowed-down chanteuse on the soundtrack to an aesthetic profile that can only be described as gravel.
Rating: A structurally unsound 2/10.
Mission: Impossible Fallout
Whats the deal?
Seemingly invincible secret agent Ethan Hunt (who else but Tom Cruise?) is back with yet another mission that will fundamentally undermine the concept of impossible. After a dressing-down from his top-brass liaisons (Alec Baldwin and newcomer Angela Bassett, who joins the cast along with Superman-on-hiatus Henry Cavill), its business as usual, with Ethan zipping around on a motorbike, punching his way through a club, and of course, running as if his life depended on it.
Howd it do?
Much hubbub has already been raised over Cruises most death-defying stunt ever, involving the actor piloting his own chopper through perilous conditions; the trailer blows this big unveiling, giving its money shot away for free.
Rating: 4/10, for the return of an old favorite getting a little long in the tooth.
Avengers: Infinity War
Whats the deal?
This sneak peek at Marvels upcoming spandex bonanza functions mostly as a roll call, tallying the many, many heroes that will rear their heads in the upcoming sequel to end all comic-book sequels. Their latest adventure brings the Avengers, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, the Guardians of the Galaxy and whoever else had room in their schedule to space for a final reckoning with the power-mad despot Thanos (an unrecognizable Josh Brolin). Hail, hail, the super-gangs all here.
Howd it do?
A few snippets grab you by the lapels a robot-hand for Captain America, young Spider-Man freaking out as he gets dragged out of the stratosphere but for the most part, the house that Stan Lee built falls back on the easy thrill of recognition. Like, we already knew Thor was gonna be in it!
Rating: 4/10
Red Sparrow
Whats the deal?
Jennifer Lawrence dons a get-moose-and-squirrel Russian accent and a series of increasingly foxy wigs to portray a ballerina turned assassin. She never wanted this life, people! And her CIA-affiliated lover (Joel Edgerton) wants to help her defect, but the Kremlin doesnt tend to let their personnel go without a rather violent exit interview. If she wants out, shell have to seduce-and-destroy her way out.
Howd it do?
Learned sexiness is a big part of Lawrences character and what makes her so lethal, but network restrictions mean that the trailer can only hint at that. As such, this clip is more suggestive than anything else, letting you know that they know that you know whats waiting.
Rating: 5/10
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Whats the deal?
Those rascally resurrected dinosaurs are at it again, and this time, their island home approaches a volcanic meltdown. Our heroes (Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard) must take it upon themselves to save the awesome prehistoric wildlife before their environment kills them, though that doesnt explain how a raptor got into a childs bedroom for the trailers most memorable and disturbing shot. (Could it be a dream?)
Howd it do?
An effective trailer knows how to steadily but selectively dole out its good stuff, and this one shrouds enough of its main attractions the raptor at bedtime, the genetically engineered mega-dino in secrecy to create solid anticipation.
Rating: 7/10, for the moment in which the raptor taps its talon on the floor alone.
A Quiet Place
Whats the deal?
In an ambiguous post-apocalyptic scenario, a family (including director John Jim from The Office Krasinski and Emily Blunt) survives by keeping perfectly silent. One wrong move, one snapped twig, one sneeze, and they whatever they might be are coming for you. The parents do what they can to protect their children, but everyone has to fart sooner or later, right? Then things are bound to get hectic.
Howd it do?
It turns out all a trailer really needed to scare the hot wings out of American game-watchers was the sound of a toy rocket taking off, some creaking metal and a whole lot of atmosphere. This spot excels through creativity rather than budgetary extravagance, using what footage it has with smarts and economy.
Rating: 9/10.But shhhhh, dont make such a big thing out of it. Theyll hear you.
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Whats the deal?
How badly does America want to get an eyeful of this prequel spin-off chronicling the early days of Harrison Fords irresistible smuggler Han Solo, now played by Alden Ehrenreich? Enough that were not even mad Lucasfilm is pulling the classic this is the trailer for the real trailer! gotcha. This teaser only permits glimpses of a magnificently goateed Donald Glover as a young Lando Calrissian and one look at our hero, yet it can still raise fan heart rates with a single behind-the-head shot of Chewie.
Howd it do?
At this point, Star Wars is so well-known that its trailers can pretty much get by on iconography alone. Theres not much to see here, but even a quick shot of the Millennium Falcon connotes an entire galaxy of association.
Rating: 9/10, so long as Lucasfilm quits beating around the Sarlacc pit and lets us have the full thing ASAP.
The Cloverfield Paradox
Whats the deal?
You know that Cloverfield sequel youve been hearing so much about, but not, like,really hearing about? J.J. Abrams promised it was happening. He also didnt say word one about when, or what it would be. And we know how much Mr. Mystery Box loves surprises. So guess what: Its here, and right now. The trailer plays the particulars of plot typically close to the vest, but the hurricane of images promises outer space mayhem, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and yes, one stories-tall monster.
Howd it do?
Netflix emerged as the nights winner through nothing but sheer chutzpah. It take a serious pair of stones to release a production this major without warning, and their bold choice to make the film available directly after the game caught more eyeballs than a usual press cycle of screenings and reviews might have. Regardless of the trailers content, the final words Coming to Netflix Very Soon did all they needed to.
Rating: 10/10, for effectively Lemonade-ing the film industry.