Dreamworks' Rise of the Guardians gets a generic trailer.

It's no secret that Dreamworks films often turn out to be far more complicated than their marketing campaigns might imply.  For example, Megamind's marketing didn't even hint at the jaw-dropping plot twist in the first twenty minutes, nor did it detail any of the major narrative turns in the third act or the 'must there be evil to co-exist with good?' subtext that made the movie more than just a gimmick.  And Kung Fu Panda 2's marketing sold easy-going comedy and stress-free action without hinting at the emotionally draining story at its core while Puss In Boots sold bawdy gags instead of trippy fairy-tale adventure.  So when I say this preview looks painfully generic, take it with a grain of salt.  But judging just what's on display, it's a little disheartening to see a fascinating idea (a look into the lives of the various holiday-themed creatures of our modern American mythology) and use them purely as a springboard for a conventional action picture (uh-oh, Santa Clause, Tooth Fairy, and the gang have to stop a random villain!).  Again, I'm hoping there is more to the story, even while I'll try to avoid as much spoiler information as possible.  It's no secret I hold Dreamworks Animation in very high regard, so I can only presume that they have something more up their sleave.  Rise of the Guardians opens on November 21st, which is a new release date (Thanksgiving weekend) for a Dreamworks cartoon.  As always, we'll see...

Scott Mendelson