The Big Kahuna is a pretentious, preachy, overblown film. To make matters worst, it is painfully uncinematic. It bears the scars of its lineage, meaning that it is obviously a play adapted to the screen. And it does not bear the transfer well. The director, a first timer, tries to work in interesting cinematic techniques, but he doesn't do it enough, and you end up feeling like you're watching a play. But the play isn't even good, as it was in other films with the same problem (I'm thinking of Oleanna here). THe simple fact of the matter is that this story didn't need to be told, didn't want to be told, and is not told well. The acting? Danny DeVito's alright, I suppose, but he has that earnest nice guy look he has in most of his work these days. Kevin Spacey sinks way below the heights he reached in American Beauty. Spacey bitches and moans and proves once more that he can overact with the best of them. The fact that Spacey also produced this film makes it even sadder: this was Spacey's idea of a good movie. This movie has nothing to recommend it. THe story is flat and uninteresting, and builds to an intense conclusion that is full of emotion and energy, but is completely undeserved by what came before it. This is a total piece of garbage. One of the worst movies I've ever seen.
Review of The Big Kahuna
