This film appears to epitomize the string of films of the last years of the 20th Century where the structured story has been replaced by a blaze of stunning visual effects. The literate directors, who once brought us audience pleasing, soul-satisfying stories, seem to have vanished the way of the American Bison. What has emerged is an empty, soulless presentation of eye-popping scenes tied to nothing at all.
Here, we are introduced to meaningless characters not developed enough for us to feel an affinity. When they move on into the insipid, formless story, we find ourselves impatiently waiting for the only possible satisfaction, the remarkable visual presentation of the storm with its exciting rescue scenes.
It might be that Frank Capra's dictum to filmmakers, `Give em something to put in their pocket to take home with 'em ' is now truly passé. We leave the theater feeling like we just saw an awesome fireworks, but one that afterward we scarcely think about, and one essentially not worth two or more hours of our lives, for we have gained nothing. We are uninspired, unmotivated and have learned nothing about life. We are empty inside. We have experienced The Perfect Zero.
Here, we are introduced to meaningless characters not developed enough for us to feel an affinity. When they move on into the insipid, formless story, we find ourselves impatiently waiting for the only possible satisfaction, the remarkable visual presentation of the storm with its exciting rescue scenes.
It might be that Frank Capra's dictum to filmmakers, `Give em something to put in their pocket to take home with 'em ' is now truly passé. We leave the theater feeling like we just saw an awesome fireworks, but one that afterward we scarcely think about, and one essentially not worth two or more hours of our lives, for we have gained nothing. We are uninspired, unmotivated and have learned nothing about life. We are empty inside. We have experienced The Perfect Zero.