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New in Theaters for the Weekend of
Pearl Harbor Big budget summer blockbusters tend to have one moment, one key scene that will make or break the film. I remember reading an interview with Steven Spielberg, where he spoke openly about the making of Jaws. He recounted the first screening. Spielberg stayed in the back and waited. Then, the music started. Da-dum. Da-dum. This was the moment. After a shooting schedule that went much too long and a budget that had grown too big, the film hinged on this one moment. It was time for the audience to see the shark. To paraphrase Spielberg, either the audience would laugh and he would be ruined, or they would be scared out of their minds and he would be a genius. Luckily, the shark scared us. Pearl Harbor has a similar scene - the attack. We know the history, but never has the baby boomer generation and those who followed it truly been able to grasp the destruction the Japanese attack rendered on America's military and the people's psyche. This summer, you should go to the theater to see it for yourself. Ben Affleck stars a Rafe - a cocky, dyslexic flyboy who smooth talks his way into becoming an Army pilot. It's 1940, war is raging across Europe, and America has chosen to remain withdrawn from the conflict. Primarily an isolationist country, the United States does not want to become entangled in another world war even though President Roosevelt (Jon Voight) is trying to do everything he can to aide our allies in their battle with Germany and Japan. Young men like Rafe and his longtime friend, Danny (Josh Hartnett), are joining the armed forces and living it up before America goes to war. Along the way, Rafe falls in love with a young Army nurse, Evelyn (Kate Beckinsale). Just when they start to realize how deep their love goes, Rafe is sent to help the British air corps. He is brave and talented, but he is shot down and presumed dead. Left without her love and his best friend, Evelyn and Danny fall for each other, while stationed at Pearl Harbor. Then, Pearl Harbor is attacked (Ok, the film doesn't exactly flow. It's love story for an hour, intense battle scene for an hour and resolution for an hour). Who will live? Who will die? What will happen to Danny, Evelyn and their friends? Although it clocks in at almost 3 hours, Pearl Harbor moves at a quick pace and keeps the audience engaged. Yes, Michael Bay tries to use the Titanic formula - surround a historical event with a love story in an effort to make it more personal. After starting out as a comedy, then moving to a love story that is melodramatic and a little silly at times, this movie is about the attack and the effect it had on all involved. When the movie focuses on that event, it soars. Most of the acting performances are passable. Affleck, Hartnett and Beckinsale all do a decent job with the soap opera story line. They don't shock or disappoint us. We can believe that these three kids are moving along life's path, trying to hold off fate. We aren't too moved by the characters' plights. It is the realization that our grandfathers and grandmothers really did face this horror that puts the audience in tears. If any actor will be remembered for his performance, it will be Jon Voight as President Roosevelt. I think Voight will get an Oscar nomination. His portrayal of Roosevelt as a staid, controlled figure whose heart burns with the fire of righteousness sets the right tone for a President who is often considered to be a hero. From the quiet, private meetings where Voight brings out Roosevelt's humanity to the recreation of the greatest speeches of all time, he doesn't miss a step. With the fantastic makeup that hides his identity, Voight brings Roosevelt back to life. Another actress who deserves kudos is James King (a name much too manly for this beautiful woman) as Betty, a young nurse who embodies all of America's naivete and innocence. Like most Americans, she doesn't see what is coming, she just wants to enjoy the life she is living. Betty and others provide a wonderful contrast to the dark, dogged preparation by the Japanese. While Bay succeeds with this contrast, the rest of his decisions leave something to be desired. My biggest gripe with the film is Bay's shooting style. While this ER/NYPD Blue style of shaky camera work is al the rage, it is horribly annoying on the big screen. Many times, Bay's decision to shoot a close up of the characters during key action scenes leads to a distorted picture, which is dizzying and blurred (maybe that's the point, but it takes away from my enjoyment). It is too hard to follow the action. Also, at one key emotional moment, he uses a technique of clouding the screen to make the scene appear to be a surreal-like dream. A slow motion shot would have been just as effective and leaves this memory-type view to be superfluous. Another gripe I have is Bay's limited use of Cuba Gooding, Jr. He plays Dorrie Miller - a real life hero of Pearl Harbor. He was a mess hall worker who went to the deck of the USS West Virginia and started firing at Japanese fighter planes when many of his crewmembers were injured or dead. Gooding puts in a great performance that touches upon Miller's experience as an African American trying to gain acceptance in the military and the character's bravery under fire. However, we don't learn much about his life, his family or anything personal about him. It is an undeveloped character that could have been so much more. Overall, Pearl Harbor is a better than average film with flaws and moments of brilliance. Take your older kids (it's not too graphic, and it's a good history lesson) and enjoy a moving film. Grade: B- Copyright 2001 - WaffleMovies.com
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