MONSTERS: DARK CONTINENT trailers change tone and get crazy for the sequel

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Monsters: Dark Continent looks monster & action-packed

It’d be doing director Gareth Edwards a disservice to mention Monsters: Dark Continent, the sequel to his slow-burn character drama Monsters from 2010, and not give the man credit for laying the groundwork on which the new movie builds its foundation. Edwards moved on to bigger and better things by directing this year’s Godzilla, and it appears without him the somber tone he set isn’t carrying over to the sequel. That’s a mixed bag, as many who’ve seen the trailers for the new movie either hate that it’s steering away from the quiet character piece of Monsters or are really excited to see more action, of which the first film had very little. I’m in Camp B, and the brand new trailer for Monsters: Dark Continent makes the movie look pretty exciting.

Watch two trailers for the movie after the jump.

Here’s a shorter trailer that was released in May that plays light on the monsters:

And here’s the brand new, full-length second trailer that previews a world full of madness and monsters:

Both trailers set a nice tone, and the second one definitely builds out the world we only got a glimpse of in the first film. As concerned as a lot of people are that the monster-heavy action is going to take away from the character building, the trailers preview and leave plenty of room for some depth. As with any film, we’ll have to give it a watch before being sure.

Here’s an official plot synopsis for Monsters: Dark Continent:

Seven years on from the events of Monsters, and the ‘Infected Zones’ have spread worldwide. Humans have been knocked off the top of the food chain, with disparate communities struggling for survival. American soldiers are being sent abroad to protect US interests from the Monsters, but the war is far from being won. Noah, a haunted soldier with several tours under his belt, is sent on a mission: an American soldier has gone rogue deep in the Infected Zone, and Noah must reach him and take him out. But when Noah’s unit and transport are destroyed, he finds himself with only a young and inexperienced cadet for company – the brother of the man Noah has been sent to kill. The two soldiers must go on a life-altering journey through the dark heart of monster territory, accompanied by a young local woman to guide them. By the time the three of them reach their goal, they will have been forced to confront the fear that the true monsters on the planet may not be alien after all.

The movie stars Joe Dempsie, Sam Keeley, Johnny Harris, and Sofia Boutella. It’s set to make its debut at the London Film Festival and see theatrical release in the UK on November 28, 2014. No US release date has been announced yet.

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