The Perfect Storm

Rating:
Summary: Storm Watchable?
Review: In a summer full of pretty terriblefilms, "The Perfect Storm" offeredsomething a little better. Thoughthere wasn't a whole lot of charachterdevelopment, it was easy to feel andexpierience some their emotions. GeorgeClooney (who had little to work with)perfectly portayed the vast emotions ofCaptain Billy Tyne. From the fear tothe anger and the sorrow at the end.Mark Wahlberg was equally as convincingin a somewhat easier role. Wolfgang Petersen also showed his knack for turning chaos into poetry. Not thebest film of the year, that distinctiongoes to "Gladiator" but a terrific filmnone the less.

Rating:
Summary: "The Perfect Storm" Sinks
Review: An incredible storm was not the most destructive force in thisfilm. The most destructive force in this film was the over stuffed script. That's what sinks this film.

I cannot remember the last time I sat through a film that thought it was this important. Every element in this film smacks of arrogance. From the over inflated characterizations to the audacity that the writers had to "dramatize" the events that happenned on the Andrea Gail.

This film could have been fantastic. All the elements were in place. A wonderful, heart wrenching true story; a superb cast; an accomplished director. But sadly, the screenplay is very subpar. It takes too much time telling us why we should care for these characters without actually accomplishing that goal. The methods used to make the characters likeable were so obvious it was like seeing how a magican saws a woman in half. The fact that these are based on real people should be able to stand on its own. It is filled with dialogue so bad that its laughable.

But that's not to say that the film is without any redeeming qualities (Yes, they are there even though they are few and are between). As the commercials boast, the special effects are quite stunning and the action sequences are masterful.

But that eventually becomes a problem as well. The movie was more concerned with the storm than with the characters on that ship. The effects were great but everything else was thrown to the side.

Rating:
Summary: I'm a fishermans wife
Review: I'm a fishermans wife and I can definately say that this movie has given an accurate portrayel of fishermen and the dangers they face when they go out to get their catch. I feel that fisherman finally get the recognition and appreciation that they deserve with this movie. A big THANK YOU to Sebastian Junger for showing the world how we live.

Rating:
Summary: A Perfect 5
Review: The Perfect Storm is a really good movie. The special effects were MORE than perfect, and the acting was great. I didn't think the characters were paper-thin at all. At least ~I~ found myself sad at the end.

The fact is, people - who really went to see a 2 1/2 hour-long movie and expected a fully ACCURATE portrayel of a ship lost at sea? To act disappointed that they made half the movie up is ludicrous. It was LOOSELY based on a real-life account. I found it to be a great fictional story that had me on the edge of my seat.

Through all this people still tend to shoot this movie down based on the fact that it is more sentimental than action-packed. Maybe so. But I think that the main point of the film was to make the audience feel for the characters on board and their families and friends waiting back home. The sentiment really made the movie. (BTW, I thought there was TONS of action)

I really liked this movie and would recommend it to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: it shows how it really is
Review: Coming from a fishing town in Alaska, this film hits especially close to home. Although the Bristol bay crabbing fleet has lots worse weather and loses lots more lives and boats than we do, we still have our share of boats that sink in bad storms. Some people complain that The Perfect Storm doesn't have a happy ending, well "welcome to the real world". It wouldn't have been realistic at all if any of the crewmen would have survived. There has also been some complaints about the weak roles that the actors play. I know alot of fishermen and deckhands, I have done some long-lining myself, and those men and women acted perfectly normal; no great, awesome speechs; you never see a bunch of fisherman get super emotional and powerful; but often there is alot of passion shown for fishing since it is not only a job, but a way of life. All in all, the movie was very realistic and powerful. Last of all, hats off to the coast-guard men and women who risk their lives daily to save others. It is very much appreciated among all fisherman and sea-farers; especially those who have been rescued by them. It's a great film that hits close to home. I highly recommend it

Rating:
Summary: Perfect Disappointment
Review: This film has such promise, but in the end fails to deliver, and proves that special effects cannot make the perfect movie. Supposedly, this was based on a true story, but if nobody survived how can we know for sure? Who's to say a fish hook snagged a man's hand and pulled him overboard? Was there as much dissension among the crew as portrayed? On a deeper level, what's the point of the entire movie if the boat ultimately sinks with all hands? George Clooney went to great lengths to cut the whipping chain, but he could have saved himself the effort.

Had the writers developed a strong leading lady, the could have centered the movie on the boat that made it back and then dashed the hopes of the audience when the Andrea Gail sunk. This would have been similar to Titanic, but at least there would have not been the sense of pointlessness the movie as is portrays.

Another problem involves character development. For instance "Bugsy" spends time trying to pick up Irene in the bar, only to be stood up. Yet on the boat two men develop an intense hatred but the audience does not know why except for one exchange of insults in a bar.

This movie's setting offered the writers an incredible chance to create a blockbuster hit. Instead they tried to utilize tremendous special effects to support a weak story and horrendous miscastings.

Rating:
Summary: "Perfect Storm," Perfect Movie
Review: In late October, 1991, the commercial swordfishing boat Andrea Gail left Gloucester, Massachusetts, headed for an area just off Nova Scotia known as the "Flemish Cap." The weather in the North Atlantic in the fall is always chancy, but Captain Billy Tyne (played here by George Clooney) had been the victim of some poor harvests of late, and he needed fish; moreover, he knew where to find them. He was also aware of the risks involved at that time of year. What he didn't know and could not foresee (nor could any meteorologist have predicted), was that three major storms were about to converge to form one huge storm, the likes of which comes along only once in every hundred years or so. And the course he had set was about to take him, his boat and crew of five men, right into the middle of it. Director Wolfgang Peterson recounts this incident in "The Perfect Storm," a deftly crafted and intense rendering of the story of the Andrea Gail, and its encounter with the storm of the century. What Peterson did with this film, the way he tells the story, can be likened to what Melville did with the novel, "Moby Dick;" as it moves along, he fleshes out the characters and subtly provides an intimate portrait of what this kind of life is all about. He pays such meticulous attention to details, that by the time you're in the middle of the storm, the impact is extraordinary; you know what this boat is and how it works, you've smelled the fish and the sweat and the sea, and worked alongside the crew. You know these people and what's at stake here. You know the feel of the fishing lines and the grappling hooks, felt that rush of adrenaline that comes when you hook a big one, or when a huge wave washes over the deck. He gives you so much in this film, puts you in it so completely, that it primes your senses for whatever's to come. Combine all of this with the best special effects imaginable, outstanding performances, and a terrific score by John Horner, and you're in for the thrill of a lifetime. The charismatic Clooney is exemplary here as Tyne, and is able to convey a real sense of who this man is without resorting to unwarranted theatrics or bravura. He simply knows him from the inside out, and it shows in the way he carries himself, the way he walks and talks, right down to the look in his eye; the seasoned professional with all the skill and confidence required of his job, but a man who is nevertheless also aware of his own shortcomings. It's a commanding performance with nuance and depth, all there on the screen, and Clooney makes it real. Mark Wahlberg is also outstanding as Bobby Shatford, the rookie fisherman who can't stand to be more than two feet away from the woman he loves, Christina (Diane Lane). Another notable performance is turned in here by John C. Reilly, who does an emotional turn as "Murph," the veteran fisherman who is divorced, has a young son he loves dearly, and lives with the remorse of past mistakes that ultimately destroyed his marriage. Rounding out the exceptional supporting cast are William Fichtner (Sully), Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (Linda), Allen Payne (Alfred), John Hawkes (Bugsy) and Michael Ironside (Bobby Brown). There are thrills and heroics to spare in "The Perfect Storm," but it's also inspiring; once you've seen the Coast Guard in action, for example, you'll never take them for granted again. What makes this such a great movie, though, is that it's about real people, an instance of ordinary people getting caught up in extraordinary circumstances, and Peterson has made them accessible; these are people with whom anyone in the audience will be able to identify. This is a powerful, emotionally charged and unforgettable film; it will take you to places and you'll experience things from the comfort of your seat in the theater (or on the couch) that most people will never get close to in real life. And therein lies the true magic of the cinema; this is one movie you absolutely do not want to miss.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect Storm Is great
Review: I thought this movie was excellent--particularly the work of John Hawkes. This man has a brand new admirer. The special effects were awesome. But what was really interesting was how the film used the smaller pieces from the book, such as the different dreams each of the families left behind had. If you want to know what those were, buy the book, then see the movie. My one complaint would have to be the speeches. "Separate the men from the boys; etc." But that is all.

Rating:
Summary: The Perfect Disaster
Review: Here is my analogy of THE PERFECT STORM; TWISTER + Water=THE PERFECT STORM

With such a good cast (Clooney, Wahlberg, Mastrantonio, and Fichtner) you would have to think this movie would have Oscarâ written all over it, but the best cast couldn't have saved a script written by pigeons. When you give a great actress like Mastrantonio lines like "your heading right to the center of the monster." When Clooney is given a pathetic speech to glorify fishing that is supposed to be dramatic and beautiful that just sounds so cornball you can't help but laugh out loud no matter how many people are in the theater. The script and the acting aren't the only problems, the special FX aren't great either. While watching this I couldn't help but notice, on occasion, that slight glitches occurred during the heaviest moments of the storm, sometimes just a little off on the alignment of the graphic it would leave a centimeter of blank space between where it was supposed to be and where the actor was.

So to summarize; poor acting hindered by a poor script, and not aided by FX.

Rating:
Summary: The Perfect Storm
Review: See this film.

It has an amazing introduction to help you get to know the characters, incredible special effects, and one of the most powerful endings i have ever seen.

Dont miss it.