Movie Review: "The Aviator" 

 By Manuel Perez  (As seen on MSN.COM) (Click to View)

AS I SAT AND WATCHED A ROUGH CUT OF THIS FILM. I COULDN'T HELP FEEL EXCITED. MARTIN SCORSECE'S NEW FILMS ALWAYS BRING PROMISE. PARTICULARLY WHEN THE CENTRAL CHARACTER IS HOWARD HUGHES. THIS IS THE STORY OF ONE OF AMERICAS GREATEST MAVERICKS. STARRING LEONARDO DI CAPRIO AND CATE BLANCHARD, IN THE TITLE ROLES. HOWEVER, MR. DI CAPRIO IS OVER HIS HEAD IN THIS STORY. HIS YOUTHFUL APPEARANCE AND BOYISH GOOD LOOKS ARE NOT ENOUGH ,TO CARRY THE TASK OF SUCH A COMPLEX AND DRIVEN INDIVIDUAL AS HOWARD HUGHES. 

MS. BLANCHARD HOWEVER LIGHTS UP THE SCREEN. PLAYING THE DELICIOUSLY SOPHISTICATED KATE HEPBURN WITH CONNECTICUT ACCENT AN ALL. PROVING ONCE AGAIN THAT SHE IS TOPS IN HER FIELD. ALEC BALDWIN GIVES ANOTHER TERRIFIC SUPPORTING ROLE. AS MR. HUGHES' NEMESIS, JUAN TRIPP AT RIVAL PAN AMERICAN AIRLINES. THE EXCHANGE BETWEEN BALDWIN'S TRIPP AND DI CAPRIO'S HUGHES THROUGH A LOCKED DOOR ARE ENJOYABLE. SET DESIGN WAS A SUCCESS IN CAPTURING THE PERIOD. THE CINEMATOGRAPHY WAS BETTER THAN A SECOND BAG OF PEANUTS ON A NO FRILLS FLIGHT. EVEN THOUGH SPECIAL EFFECTS MAY HAVE SOME THING TO DO WITH IT .THE MUSICAL NUMBERS WERE AS ANNOYING AS TURBULENCE OVER THE ATLANTIC. THE STORY CONCENTRATES ON HUGHES EARLY CAREER AND HIS ENDEAVORS IN THE MOVIE INDUSTRY. FROM HIS MAKING OF THE EPIC ''HELLS ANGELS'' TO THE CONTROVERSIAL WESTERN THE ''OUTLAW''. IN ADDITION TO HIS ROMANTIC ESCAPADES WITH SOME OF HOLLYWOOD'S MOST FAMOUS LEADING LADY'S OF THE TIME. AS WELL AS HIS SUBSEQUENT FIGHT WITH CONGRESS. TO KEEP HIS FLEDGLING TWA AIRLINES FLYING. ALL THIS MAKES FOR GREAT DRAMA AND EXCITEMENT. EXCEPT THE MOVIE TAKES A DETOUR INTO MR. HUGHES DARK SIDE BY EXPOSING HIS OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR. THIS IS DONE IN SUCH LENGTHS THAT YOU LOOSE WHAT REALLY MADE THIS MAN INTERESTING AND EXCITING. AT ONE POINT IN THE FILM THE AMOUNT OF TISSUES MR. DI CAPRIO'S CHARACTER WAS USING MADE ME WONDER IF THE PRODUCERS WERE GETTING ROYALTIES FROM THE KLEENEX PEOPLE. THAT ALL MADE FOR A SLOW DETOUR OF WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY INTERESTING STORY. AT THREE HOURS LONG I FELT WE HAD BEEN CIRCLING THE AIRPORT FOR EVER WITH NO PERMISSION TO LAND. HOPEFULLY THE EDITING ROOM FLOOR WILL BE THE PLACE FOR SOME OF THESE BLUNDERS. IF NOT? THIS SPRUCE GOOSE HAS LAID AN EGG.

Movie Website: WWW.TheAviatorMovie.com

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