The Perfect Storm (2000) 2 1/2 stars out of 4. Starring George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, John C. Reilly, William Fichtner, Diane Lane and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. Music by James Horner. Screenplay by Bill Wittliff, based on the book by Sebastian Junger. Directed by Wolfgang Petersen.
"The Perfect Storm" could have been one of those classic man vs. the elements sagas in which a group of individuals heroically battle nature with all their heart, soul and courage.
And while director Wolfgang Petersen's dramatization of Sebastian Junger's best-selling novel is at times breathtaking and awesome, it lacks the emotional resonance of a "Captains Courageous" or "The Old Man and the Sea."
The fault possibly lies in the screenplay, adapted by Bill Wittliff. Wittliff is a fine writer, having adapted "Lonesome Dove" for television. His screen credits include "The Black Stallion" and "Barbarosa." On the down side, they also include "Legends of the Fall" and "The Cowboy Way."
hat Wittliff has failed to do is create a bond between the audience and the main protagonists, so when they meet their ultimate fate, the impact is muted.
To be fair, this may not all be Wittliff's doing. He had to whittle Junger's book down to a reasonable two-hour-plus running time. And in doing so something had to be jettisoned.
Unfortunately, it was character development in lieu of the many shots of giant waves crashing into the swordfishing boat Andrea Gail.
Thus we get penciled doodles instead of completed portraits of the crew of the Andrea Gail. It also doesn't help that some of the dialogue mouthed by these Gloucester, Mass., fishermen sounds cliched and unnatural, as if it was written for them.
The real heroes of "The Perfect Storm" are the technicians at Industrial Light & Magic who have created some stomach churning effects that will have you reaching for sea sickness pills.
But "The Perfect Storm" is a human drama, a story of hubris, stubbornness, tenacity and reckless moxie.
This true tale takes place in late October of 1991. Capt. Billy Tyne (George Clooney) has endured a run of disappointing catches. His pride is hurt moreso than his wallet, and he decides to make one last outing for a big score.
Tyne gathers his crew. Among them are Bobby (Mark Wahlberg), who needs the money to begin a new life with his girl, Chris (Diane Lane); Dale `Murph' Murphy (John C. Reilly), a veteran seaman who is supporting his estranged wife and son; and Sully (William Fichtner), a sharp-tongued individual who does as little work as possible.
They set out for the Grand Banks, but when the fishing there proves inadequate they push on to the Flemish Cap. Tyne ignores all the warnings about an upcoming storm and, like a mini-Ahab, pursues his prey.
What Wittliff's script fails to provide is a rational motivation for Tyne's action. Is it pride because he has been outfished by a rival captain (the lovely Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio)? Is it guilt because of the failure to provide a decent payoff for his crew? Is it a way to prove to his boss, the owner of the Andrea Gail, that he's still a top-flight skipper, a worthy seaman?
It might be a combination of all three, but the characters are so weakly defined that we never know sure what galvanizes his decisions.
The script's shortcomings are slightly compensated by the movie's first-rate cast and ILM's computer graphic effects.
Clooney is scruffy and a bit sea-worn as Tyne, a proud man sure of his knowledge of the sea and its fishing lanes.
Wahlberg is appealing, filled with puppy-dog sincerity as the young man in love. But he really is given little to do except admire Tyne's seamanship.
Reilly is tough and tender as a man with a hole in his heart. `Murph' loves his son, and it devastates him that he must return to the sea instead of being able to spend time with the boy.
Again, a script problem fails to explain the animosity between Murphy and Sully, even though the pair finally do reach some sort of understanding.
All in all, the characters merely seem like archetypes instead of full-bodied individuals.
A James Horner score helps propel the action. It is not as bombastic as you'd expect for a movie of this type. In some scenes it has a lyrical, sea-chanty lilt.
Overall, "The Perfect Storm" is an imperfect feature. This is one movie that probably could have used a longer running time for more character exposition.
As it is, "The Perfect Storm" is a mighty adventure that lacks any real personal warmth. It has a cold, detached feeling. The human dimension that director Petersen brought to his other seafaring outing, the classic "Das Boot," is the element most needed to hoist "The Perfect Storm" into the pantheon of great sea movies.
Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, IN. He can be reached by e-mail at bloom@journal-courier.com. or at bobbloom@iquest.net Bloom's reviews can be found on the Internet Movie Database at: http://www.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Bob+Bloom
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