Sony Pictures has released the first trailer for George Clooney’s next directorial effort, The Monuments Men.  Based on a true story, the film centers on an unlikely World War II platoon made up of museum directors, curators, and art historians tasked by FDR with going into Germany and rescuing artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves before they are lost forever.  This is a disappointing trailer not because the film looks bad, but because the trailer feels poorly put together.  The highlight looks like the fish-out-of-water supporting characters played John Goodman, Bob Balaban, and Bill Murray.  Unfortunately, the trailer feels like it's trying way too hard to be hip, and the music playing over the whole thing is an awful choice.  I still can't wait to see this movie, but I wish the first look at it was better.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The film stars Clooney, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin, and Hugh Bonneville.  The Monuments Men opens on December 18th. [Update: We've added the teaser poster to the article.]

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Here’s the official synopsis for The Monuments Men:

Based on the true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history, The Monuments Men is an action-thriller focusing on an unlikely World War II platoon, tasked by FDR with going into Germany to rescue artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves and returning them to their rightful owners.  It would be an impossible mission: with the art trapped behind enemy lines, and with the German army under orders to destroy everything as the Reich fell, how could these guys – seven museum directors, curators, and art historians, all more familiar with Michelangelo than the M-1 – possibly hope to succeed?  But as the Monuments Men, as they were called, found themselves in a race against time to avoid the destruction of 1000 years of culture, they would risk their lives to protect and defend mankind’s greatest achievements.