It’s finally here. The first trailer for Steven Spielberg‘s Lincoln, starring the phenomenal Daniel Day Lewis, has arrived. It looks suitably epic and oozes Spielbergian style – but remains focused on the man himself.

Described as a “revealing drama”, Lincoln brings us the tumultuous final months in office of the 16th President of the United States of America before his assassination at the hands of John Wilkes Booth; where Lincoln guided the North to victory during the American Civil War. Epic scenes and rousing speeches abound, if this trailer is any indication.

That’s a great first trailer. And it’s very Spielberg (which can be a good or bad thing, depending on your point of view) – lavish production design, sumptuous visual styling and a stirring John Williams score accompany the characters and their earnest words. This film will be epic in every sense of the word.

Day-Lewis shows us why he was the perfect choice for Abraham Lincoln. And you have to think, even at this early stage, he’ll get nominated come Academy Awards time. I just hope the script allows for a detailed and moving portrayal of the man.

We only see glimpses of the all-star cast this time out, so I’m looking forward to the next trailer – which should show more from Joseph Gordon-Levitt (The Dark Knight Rises), Tommy Lee Jones (No Country for Old Men) and his outrageous wig, Sally Field (Forest Gump), John Hawkes (Martha Marcy May Marlene), David Strathairn (Good Night and Good Luck), and Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen).

If you don’t like Spielberg, you may not like what you see here. But for the rest of us, you know this film should be on our watch list.

So is this historical reenactment to your taste?

[box\] In a nation divided by war and the strong winds of change, Lincoln pursues a course of action designed to end the war, unite the country and abolish slavery. With the moral courage and fierce determination to succeed, his choices during this critical moment will change the fate of generations to come.

Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film stars: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tommy Lee Jones, James Spader, John Hawkes, Michael Stuhlbarg, David Strathairn, Walton Goggins, David Oyelowo, Tim Blake Nelson, Bruce McGill, Jackie Earle Haley, Lee Pace, and Jared Harris.

No release date for New Zealand yet but Australia gets it in January 2013, so I imagine we will too.[/box]