24

It looks like 24's big surprise for Comic-Con has been let out of the bag.  A trailer for the 24 prequel movie, which will air this November, leaked onto the internet yesterday.  The film is, apparently, titled 24: Exile, and the two-minute trailer features Jack Bauer being Jack Bauer, but in Africa.  That's all I'll acknowledge in this perfunctory opening paragraph because, as you'll notice below, there is a spoiler warning for this article.  The trailer, I guess, divulges some key plot points for the two-hour prequel film, though they're not major.  We will not be embedding any sort of video, because FOX is trying to keep this under wraps.  Remember, the trailer was not released, it was leaked. 

EXTRA SPECIAL JACK BAUER SPOILER WARNING!!!

The film takes place in an imaginary country called Sangala.  It makes sense for 24 not to use a real country, but it also makes it possible for the movie to buy into African stereotypes perhaps a little too much.  It's a fine line – with something as sensationalized as 24, it could become insulting to the countries in Africa going through the real, epic turmoil they may currently be experiencing.  Nonetheless, the locations (the film was shot in South Africa) look cool.

Powers Boothe is back as Noah Daniels.  In what capacity, we don't know.  Same thing goes for Peter MacNichol as Thomas Lennox.  Apparently the presidencies of the future like to recycle cabinet members.  We get our first (albeit fleeting) glimpse of Jon Voight as the yet-unnamed bad guy.  I didn't think he was appearing until the middle of season 7 – looks like he'll make an appearance in the film.  Unless, however, the trailer contains footage from the finished episodes of season 7.  That would be tricky, but it is possible. 

Robert Carlyle plays Jack's best friend who he hasn't seen in years.  In the trailer, it looks like the plot involves Jack trying to save one of Carlyle's kids during an uprising.  New President Cherry Jones, at the beginning of the trailer, is told of an imminent coup in Sangala, where Jack Bauer happens to be.  Nice coincidence. 

All in all, there isn't too much significant footage, but what is there is good.  I can't wait for November.  Be on the lookout for the official release of the trailer, which may happen at Comic-Con next week.

-Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer
(Image Courtesy of FOX)