Hey folks, Harry here... Tom Joad has had a bad time this summer, he's picked a lot of duds to check out, and still hasn't seen SHAFT or CHICKEN RUN, so when I sat him down for THE PERFECT STORM... he had NO IDEA WHAT TO SUSPECT, and here's what he came to think....
Am I alone in the opinion that this summer's movie season completely blows? I would like to think that I am not the only one who thinks MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2 sucked the almighty donkey and that GONE IN 60 SECONDS could not have been a larger piece of feces had Harry himself passed it. Maybe I'm showing my age, but this is the first summer that I have been repeatedly repulsed by the Hollywood Machine. Every year, someone takes it upon themselves to describe in detail why a particular summer pales in comparison to all those that have come before... now, while I'm not going to be that guy (I refuse...), I'll be damned if I sit in silence while this floater turd of a summer gets pissed on.
Leave it to a fall film released months early to break the drought of horrendous summer movies. That's right, I'm talking about the first savior of the summer... THE PERFECT STORM. Sure it's got Clooney and Wahlberg together again (why do so many people have a problem with this?) as well as Wolfgang "Das Boot" Peterson himself at the helm of another incredible water adventure, but this film has so much more going for it... so much more than I expected... so much more than I've seen before...
Peterson's last outing was AIR FORCE ONE, a film I'll speak no more of here as I do not wish to detract from his recent masterpiece, THE PERFECT STORM. With the summer popcorn movie season in full swing, we are expected to wade through the mindless entertainment and escapism once we check our brains at the door, and settle in for the inconceivable. But not this time out - Wolf and the boys have come through with the most gut-wrenching, intense, and riveting film I've seen in a long, long time. It's too bad Academy voters have such short memories or else this one might have had a shot at some gold, naked men. Then again - let's just thank the summer movie gods that have cast this pearl before us, not only is it incredible, but it gives me hope for the upcoming months.
Who says character development is dead? The film grabbed me from the get-go and immediately drew me into the worlds of John C. Reilly, Mark Wahlberg, Clooney, and the rest of his six-man crew. The interaction between Reilly and his son is so genuine and touching, it is a pleasure to watch. Make no mistake, this is no INDEPENDENCE DAY, this is not TWISTER... this film contains actual characters. Real people with real lives... and as the tension mounts, we feel their pain. Peterson does a fantastic job of setting up Wahlberg and his girlfriend XXXXX, so when the obligatory sappy lines are delivered, they don't come off as cheesy or contrived. Screenwriter Bill Wittliff has outdone himself with this piece of work.
Although Clooney receives top billing, this is hardly his film. Peterson has constructed more of an ensemble piece where Clooney is not your typical studly, leading man, but takes his place alongside a stellar cast that shares in this glory. He is the last of the characters we're introduced to, and initially, is not very likeable. Captain Billy Tyne has his back against the wall as he is in one of the worst fishing slumps of his career. He and his crew suffer the humiliation and the small paychecks that go hand in hand with having the smallest catch in the entire town. Hell bent to get back on his game before the fishing season ends, Clooney packs up his vessel, the Andrea Gail, and heads with his men across the ocean to find the fish... but once they've caught their fill, they must navigate through a Force 12 gale off the coast of Newfoundland to get back home. Now while that may not sound like much to the untrained ear, make sure you come prepared because this is one breathtaking ride.
The storm itself is absolutely incredible, clocking in at over an hour, the storm is pure nerves, forcing the viewer (me in this case) from one contorted position to another as I cringed throughout the last half of the picture. I am still in complete and utter awe of the fact that ol' Wolfgang was not only able to keep the tension high, but that he kept twisting the screws as he cranked up the intensity.
I sat in the theatre tonight, completely blown away by a water helicopter sequence that will leave you absolutely breathless... I wish I could go into it, but I will not lessen the luster of this film by revealing any more of it to you. This is a film paced so well, you cannot believe that it's two hours are up when the credits begin to roll. Tired of John Travolta with 6 fingers? Sick of talking dinosaurs? Near vomiting at the unoriginality of Martin Lawrence combining MRS. DOUBTFIRE with THE NUTTY PROFESSOR? Ready for a REAL movie? You'll find it here.
Don't be fooled by the big wave at the end of the trailer, this is no DEEP IMPACT, when the waves DO come, you really care about who they're crashing against. Now that's a rarity.
Tom Joad signing off...
