| News Items: |
| Headlines |
| News Briefs |
| Stories |
| Movies |
| Word To Life |
| More News: |
| Vatican |
| Africa |
| Archives: |
| John Paul II |
| Tsunami |
| Election 2004 |
| Charter update |
| John Jay study |
| Other Items: |
| Client Area |
| Links |
| Origins |
| Movie Review |
|
Stealth By David DiCerto Catholic News Service NEW YORK (CNS) -- Part of Einstein's theory of relativity states that the faster an object moves the more time slows down. Want proof? Go see "Stealth" (Columbia), a high-speed but vacuous exercise in adrenalin overdrive that packs a lot of G-force, as in "Gee, when is this film going to be over?" "Stealth" is actually three movies in one, none of them good. Part turbocharged action flick, part cautionary tale about technology run amok and part romance, the film centers on an elite three-member squadron of Navy test pilots in a classified Pentagon program involving high-tech warplanes. The team consists of cocky ace Ben Gannon (Josh Lucas), jive-talking Henry Purcell (Jamie Foxx), and fly girl Kara Wade (Jessica Biel), whose shared come-hither glances with Gannon risk violating Navy rules against fraternization. Much to their surprise, their commanding officer (Sam Shepard) informs them that they will have a fourth wingman, introducing them to "EDI," a UCAV (unmanned combat aerial vehicle) controlled by a super-advanced computer brain. During a bombing raid on a terrorist cell (yes, the movie is full of post-Sept. 11 jargon), EDI's wiring gets zapped by lightning, evolving his artificial intelligence to the point of consciousness. In short, EDI develops a mind of his own -- never a good thing for a jetfighter armed with cruise missiles -- and it is up to old-fashioned carbon-based courage and ingenuity to stop "him" before he triggers a world war. Directed by Rob Cohen, the film combines elements of "Top Gun," "War Games" and "2001: A Space Odyssey" (EDI's voice even sounds like HAL), but in a way that makes you pine for the emotional subtlety and character depth of a Jerry Bruckheimer film. The clumsy plot reaches its risible apex during the big romantic climax at the North Korean border. (Nothing says "I love you" like a firefight in the demilitarized zone!) With such credits as "The Fast and the Furious" and "XXX," Cohen seems to choose his material based solely on the number of opportunities the script will allow to blow up many vehicles at extreme velocity in the most pyrotechnically inventive ways. Nevertheless, the supersonic dogfights are spectacular if a bit dizzying. Those prone to motion sickness, beware. You really get the idea of what it's like to travel at Mach speeds. The script contains some feeble attempts to debate the morality of waging technological warfare which reduces killing to a video game, made all the more disingenuous by the movie's X box-style violence. It is also ironic that a film so heavily reliant on computer-generated effects has a theme that seems to criticize overconfidence in technology. Like EDI's cockpit, "Stealth" is empty. The film contains action violence, a suicide, an implied sexual situation, some crude language, humor and gestures, a few instances of rough language and profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. - - - DiCerto is on the staff of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. END Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed. CNS · 3211 Fourth St NE · Washington DC 20017 · 202.541.3250 |
| FIND A MOVIE |
|
Looking for a movie review? |