Hey, all. "Moriarty" here. I'm doing a little work around the Labs tonight, getting all my responsibilities out of the way so when I begin to party in celebration of my 230th birthday (today, thankyouverymuch), the expected jail time and accumulated bender-related blackouts won't be an issue. As I was checking the 22 different ways I get messages (e-mail, snail mail, carrier pigeon, coded radio transmissions, broadcasts on my fillings, pneumatic tube, etc.), I came across this review of THE PERFECT STORM from THE KNIGHT OF NI. I know there was a long lead press screening of the film a few weeks back that went very well. I've heard many of the people who were there wax rhapsodic over the film. I've heard from a few people that they thought it got off to a slow start, and that it really only comes to life when the storm hits. Personally, I liked the script a lot. It's smart, like the John Sayles version of TWISTER. There's real respect paid to the grim realities of this true-life story.
THERE WAS ORIGINALLY A SPOILER HERE, BUT ENOUGH PEOPLE BITCHED ABOUT THE WAY I FORMATTED THE STORY THAT I JUST REMOVED THE SPOILER AND THE TALKBACKS THAT REPEATED THE SPOILER. THIS WAY, NO PROBLEM. SORRY YOU DIDN'T LIKE THE SPOILER SPACE I LEFT, EVERYONE. HOPE THIS HELPS.
I'm dying to see the movie myself. It sounds like a solid commercial and critical home run for Warner Bros., something that would be a genuine pleasure to report on the heels of the monstrosity known only as BATTLEFIELD EARTH, and in my book, their first since THREE KINGS. Now, thank God, they didn't produce BE, and they did produce PERFECT STORM. Is this a good sign for the studio overall, or just a clear indicator that every single film they make has to star Clooney?
Anyway... here's THE KNIGHT with the buzz.
Hey all you kids at AICN.
Just got back from a test screening tonight of "The Perfect Storm". It was held at the Century 25 theaters in Orange. I have to go back there cause I think my jaw is still somewhere on the floor.
When you kiddies eventually get to see this thing (and damnit, you'd better go!) say what you will about characters or story, but you have NEVER seen effects this good. I think ILM is responsible (?) and if ever you wanted to just hand out the Oscar early, do so now. This was a virtually complete print, maybe about 10 shots with unfinished effects. They told us the score wasn't the James Horner score that was being used (the temp one was fabulous all the same), there were no end credits either, but it clocked in at a lean 2h 7min and had me on the edge of my seat for probably a good 1 1/2 of it. Anyway, I was really glad to see the incomplete shots cause it made me marvel all the more at the stuff that was finished. I'm telling you, I could've sworn they had dumped Clooney and Marky Mark in the middle of a storm for this movie. I literally felt like I needed to be wearing a rain slicker during this.
Okay, so I've creamed my jeans enough about the effects, how was the rest of the film? Real damn solid. Great character development, dialogue a little on the heard it before scale but nothing to make you roll your eyes at, great editing, and sound to make your ears bleed if seen in the proper theater (like this place, all THX on 25 screens, YEAH!!)
This thing is the real deal when it comes to heart pounding white knuckle movie viewing, so plan your dates with someone you want squeezing your forearm till it bleeds. Oh, and expect an ending that leaves you like Se7en's ending...not Hollywood, but maybe it should've been? I could see good and bad to either, all the same I was more than happy with the version I saw.
By the way, Wolfgang Peterson was there, and the army of suits around him were making comments like, "if all the shots had of been completed I think this thing would've gone through the roof". I'm gathering that it scored pretty damn well all the same. Hope Patriot's up for the challenge, cause Perfect Storm was near perfect.
Call me Knight of Ni!
