PHENOMENON
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1996 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 5.5 Alternative Scale: ** out of ****
United States, 1996 U.S. Release Date: 7/3/96 (wide) Running Length: 2:03 MPAA Classification: PG (Mild profanity) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Cast: John Travolta, Kyra Sedgwick, Forest Whitaker, Robert Duvall, Jeffrey DeMunn, Richard Kiley, Brent Spiner Director: Jon Turteltaub Producers: Barbara Boyle and Michael Taylor Screenplay: Gerald DiPego Cinematography: Phedon Papamichael Music: Thomas Newman U.S. Distributor: Touchstone Pictures
Presumably, PHENOMENON's film makers are aiming for the same audience that made 1994's FORREST GUMP a mega-hit. Unfortunately, this movie doesn't have half of FORREST's intelligence, and, opening opposite INDEPENDENCE DAY, PHENOMENON is likely to capture only a small fraction of GUMP's box-office tally. It's just as well. Although the current slate of releases cries out for something out of the action realm, a poorly written entry like PHENOMENON isn't the answer. Put simply, this movie is dumb.
The promise of the premise is never realized. It's Happy Birthday #37 for George Malley (John Travolta), an average guy living in an average Midwestern town. George's friends, including his business partner, Nate (Forest Whitaker), and the local doctor (Robert Duvall), take him out for a drink. Later that night, as George wanders around outside, he sees a mysterious light in the sky. He's momentarily knocked senseless, and, after he comes around, strange things begin happening. He beats the doc at chess, starts reading two to three books per day, learns foreign languages, and spends all night toying with new ideas and inventions instead of sleeping. He develops telekinetic powers and can predict earthquakes. It's only a matter of time before the government takes notice, but George is more concerned with catching the eye of the woman he has fallen for, a single mother named Lace (Kyra Sedgwick), who has recently moved into a nearby farm with her two young children.
Although John Travolta, taking a breather from playing two-bit gangsters and psycho criminals, imbues George with affability, the script for PHENOMENON is abysmal in every way. It's divided into two clearly-delineated sections. In the first, which is light, airy, and poorly-focused, we see George explore his new powers, express his undying affection for Lace, and help out anyone who needs his aid. In the second, which is maudlin and manipulative, George becomes the FBI's target, learns the true nature of his abilities, and must make some decisions about the rest of his life. PHENOMENON goes from a feel-good story to a tear-jerker by using a plot contrivance that makes the "brain cloud" of JOE VERSUS THE VOLCANO seem reasonable by comparison.
A few potentially-interesting subjects are introduced, but little is done with them beyond what's necessary to advance the plot. After knowledge of George's powers becomes widespread, his friends and neighbors begin to approach him with uncertainty and fear. Although he tries to reassure everyone that he's still the same, George's differences make him a pariah. And, once the media learns of the story, they are tenacious in their pursuit of it. Eventually, these aspects of the film have formulaic outcomes, but they are at least briefly thought- provoking -- something that most of PHENOMENON isn't. This is the kind of movie that resolves conflicts by having Robert Duvall (doing his best to imitate Al Pacino) and John Travolta make speeches.
I don't know if either writer Gerald DiPego or director Jon Turteltaub (WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING) is a member of the Church of Scientology (Travolta certainly is), but PHENOMENON's screenplay is loaded with the kind of doctrine that Scientologists preach. And, while suspension of disbelief is mandated for this sort of modern-day fable, PHENOMENON demands too much. The silliness and general lack of respect for the audience's intelligence exceeds reasonable levels. And, when it comes to manipulation to get the tears flowing, Turtletaub's handling of events is heavy-handed. With so many better examples of mindless entertainment floating around, it would be phenomenal if PHENOMENON achieves a significant box-office impact.
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@bc.cybernex.net ReelViews web site: http://www.cybernex.net/~berardin
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