From /Film: The official plot synopsis for Steven Spielberg‘s World War I drama War Horse has been released. The film is based on a relatively obscure novel by Michael Morpugo, and here’s what the movie’s about:
From director Steven Spielberg comes “War Horse,” an epic adventure for audiences of all ages. Set against a sweeping canvas of rural England and Europe during the First World War, “War Horse” begins with the remarkable friendship between a horse named Joey and a young man called Albert, who tames and trains him. When they are forcefully parted, the film follows the extraordinary journey of the horse as he moves through the war, changing and inspiring the lives of all those he meets—British cavalry, German soldiers, and a French farmer and his granddaughter—before the story reaches its emotional climax in the heart of No Man’s Land.
The First World War is experienced through the journey of this horse—an odyssey of joy and sorrow, passionate friendship and high adventure. “War Horse” is one of the great stories of friendship and war—a successful book, it was turned into a hugely successful international theatrical hit that is arriving on Broadway next year. It now comes to screen in an epic adaptation by one of the great directors in film history.
Ah, epic Spielberg adventures. Through the eyes of a horse, no less. I’m withholding judgment, since this project sounds like the action-adventure-melodrama Spielberg is known for.
War Horse will be released December 28, 2011 – five days after his other 2011 offering, The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, Spielberg’s first motion-capture film in the vein of his buddy Robert Zemeckis‘ last few films. Tintin is a tough sell in the States, as it’s based on a series of comic strips from Belgian artist Hergé (Georges Rémi). The Tintin stories are hugely famous throughout Europe and largely unknown here – there was a well-done HBO animated series in the early 90’s, but that’s about it. It will be very interesting to see how Spielberg stacks up against himself.
Does War Horse sound like a return to form for Spielberg?