Hey there folks. Harry here. This is Michael Bay's next project, and unlike his previous gigantic over the top films, this is... a little film. A small $10 million dollar project that relies on suspense and story telling and acting. SHOCK... Yeah.. I know how some of you feel about Michael Bay... But this time we'll see if he's 'just a shooter' and the end of cinema as we know it... Or if he's the talented director that I feel he is. We'll see. Place your bets. However, before you read Peter Proud's review of the script, know that this draft has been rewritten. I'm trying to find out who performed the rewrite. I know that as of early May this was still an 'open writing assignment' and I'm not sure who picked it up out there to work on. But do take into account that the script is still being developed. Here ya go...

Peter Proud filing a report here...recently scored a copy of the screenplay to "The Phone Booth," you know the Fox project Michael Bay is talking about helming with Will Smith on the lead for a budget of no more than US$ 10 Million (Smith has reportedly turned down because he wants to charge MORE than 10 Million for his services alone). Here's my 2 cents' worth:

The draft looked like a pretty early one, at least judging by the fact that the lead character was written for a middle-aged white male. The lead is a PR specialist who cons his way through free meals and affairs with pretty women hungry for publicity and a break into showbusiness. This was established early in the first act, before he steps into a phone booth that becomes a central character itself in the script. Anyway, he walks into a phone booth on Boradway, and gets a call from a sniper who promises to silence him for good if he didn't do as told. About 90% or more of the action takes place here, our hero constantly has to outwit the terrorist (hidden somewhere in the vicinity, proves his existence too early on), before he gets himself killed. This intellectual tug-of-war goes on until the final scene.

Without spoiling it too much for you and the readers, let me say the concept is bloody good (a producer/studio's wet dream too with not many to cast, not much to spend on location shoots, costume or production design and special effects), but as of this draft, I dare say it is high on concept but slightly low on delivery. It isn't as exciting as I thought it could be and there were some dull moments in the middle where audiences could easily be taken out of the story by bore. I mean, for the first 30 pages the premise gets me hooked, glued and with undivided attention, then the novelty wears off and my concentration starts wandering off in the middle...suggestion is think of something more dramatic in terms of interaction between the lead and the villain. The current scenario looked and sounded a little too commonplace. In order to avoid spoilers, let me use an analogy to our friends working on this film, when audiences had already seen lava f/x rampaging through LA streets in "Volcano," there is no way you're gonna get anyone interested in the flood water as filmed in "Hard Rain." I mean, it's just not scary anymore and it isn't as interesting, awesome or jaw-dropping as it would have been. So with all the Die Hard's and The Rock's in the world, it takes a little more than what's in there right now to impress action fans. Consider that for a second.

It was a short script that commands a really short read, I can see why they're in need of a Mel Gibson, or a Will Smith to carry this movie because anyone with a lesser charisma would spell doom for this project. For 90 minutes you are supposed to (1) empathize with our trapped hero, (2) intrigued by the villain's motive and (3) hold your breath to see how it resolves. Sort of "Speed" on an NYC phone booth. (1) can be achieved if they land a Will Smith type (the role is SCREAMING for Will, it reads 99% like him, with 1% not because it was written as a white man), and I hope they spice up the proceedings with a little more subplots and happenings in and aorund the vicinity of the booth, than the ones the script is employing right now. (2) is definitely promising because we're kept in the dark like our hero all through out, but

(SPOILER WARNING DON"T READ IF YOU DON"T WANNA KNOW SCROLL TO END OF SPOILER NOW!!! QUICK!!!)

we're never told of who the villain is and why he did this even at the very end, I felt cheated and taken for a ride because in situations like this the audeince will demand for "closure" and they never get that satisfaction here. C'mon, add a little ooomph to this character and lay down a motive and an identity, will ya?

(END SPOILER)

(3) for now this is the only element going for this version of the screenplay. Goes without saying, improving on (1) and (2) will only strengthen (3) and the overall satisfaction of seeing the movie when it's finished.

Anyway, I'm bracing myself for the announcement who they're going to land for the lead. It reads like a quick shoot and nothing that Mike Bay cannot handle, maybe here's one film where he doesn't have to employ dizzying camera movements, confusingly quick editing and loud sound effects, but then again, you wouldn't need a Michael Bay if you wish to do away with those, would you?

Signing off, Peter Proud