There is going to be a wide array of films released Christmas day for an even wider array of audiences. There’s Disney’s stage-to-screen adaptation of Into the Woods (which looks wonderful), the daring, wild comedy The Interview, and the Tim Burton art film based on the life of painter Margaret Keane, Big Eyes. Another film that seems to have quite a bit of awards speculation circulating is Louis Zamperini biopic Unbroken.

Directed by Angelina Jolie and written by the Coen brothers, Ethan and Joel, the film follows the life of Olympic runner Louis Zamperini who was captured and taken prisoner by the Japanese during World War II. It stars the up-and-coming British actor Jack O’Connell (300: Rise of an Empire) as Zamperini, as well as Jai Courtney (Divergent), Domhnall Gleeson (Harry Potter series), and Garrett Hedlund (TRON: Legacy).

With a solid cast, confident director, and profound screenwriters, Unbroken is shaping to be a strong war film. Jolie’s last directorial feature In the Land of Blood and Honey, while unabashedly graphic, was a harrowing depiction of the many atrocities and tribulations produced by the Bosnian War. Jolie is seems to be uncommonly fascinated by war and how it affects people, and she seems to treat it all with immense respect and honesty. Though the film seems to be a bit more on the lighter, perhaps a bit watered down, side in terms of its content, it still appears to be quite a brutal chronicling of an unfortunate prisoner of war.

It’s also a major plus that the Coen brothers penned the script, for they are some of the best screenwriters in the industry. Not only are they the creative duo behind such classics as The Big Lebowski and Raising Arizona, but also the more recent masterpiece Inside Llewyn Davis. The two know how to nail both comedy and drama with great precision, whether it’s in a film that’s strictly comedic, strictly dramatic or one that blends the two. Chances are that this’ll be yet another marvelous screenplay headed by the two.

The film is also shot by legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins, whose latest photographic effort, the chilling child abduction thriller Prisoners, remains to be one of the most underappreciated films of recent years. His eye for framing can make even the dullest of banalities appear visually profound. Also, the great Alexandre Desplat scored the film, who composed the music for the final Harry Potter films. So even if the dramatic elements are lackluster, the aesthetic components shall likely be pleasing.

Based upon the talent involved, both behind and in front of the camera, and the impressive footage that’s already been released, Unbroken seems to be a moving, inspirational film accompanied by marvelous performances and assured direction. Jolie knows what she’s doing when it comes to films of this topic, the young Jack O’Connell appears to be dedicated in honoring Zamperini’s courageous legacy, and if all goes well, Universal Studios can have a serious awards contender on their hands.