Even though I caught Julie Taymor's The Tempest at the New York Film Festival last week and was not at all impressed, I already knew they'd be able to cut together a pretty good trailer for it. It's the kind of movie packed with interesting visuals that look great in small doses but wear you out over the course of an entire feature, so you can look at the trailer and think you want to see Russell Brand and Alfred Molina play dressup in Shakespearean women's clothing, but actually want nothing to do with it by the time the scene comes along in the movie.

The first trailer for the film has hit at Apple, and you can watch it in high-res there or in our player below. Check it out and join me after for some ranting.

It hits on many of the good things about the film-- Brand and Molina's comedy, Helen Mirren's fierce performance, some of the awesome costumes-- but also many of the bad things. If you see Ben Whishaw as Ariel destroying the ship and can't resist the urge to laugh, know you're in for a lot more of that in the film itself. Even though Taymor has switched up the gender of the lead character Prospero in order to be played by Helen Mirren, and even though she's got some great actors wandering around the island and getting into trouble, the movie doesn't take nearly enough advantage of all the stuff it has going for it-- including the original Shakespeare text.

But hey, don't let me discourage you-- The Tempest comes out December 10, and you'll all have your chance then to join Julie Taymor's artsy acid trip for yourselves. Just don't say I didn't warn you.