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Since 1996 |
Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready.... |
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Annapolis It’s bad enough when Hollywood decides to remake a movie but when it tries to pass a movie off as an original when it is clearly stealing the entire story from another movie, well, that’s just plain silly! The movie on trial here is the new military flick Annapolis about Jake Huard (James Franco) and his attempt to survive his first year at the Naval Academy. This movie had the potential and cast to do something on a grand scale and give the current generation of moviegoers an Officer and a Gentleman of their contemporaries. But brother does this film flunk out. Huard is a kid from the wrong side of the boat who works as a welder building ships with his dad (Brian Goodman). His mother is dead and his dad might as well be for the attention and encouragement he gives his son. Jake had promised his mom that he would make it to the academy and graduate which turns out to be tough words to fulfill when you are in Huard’s shoes. But he makes it in by the skin of his persistent teeth and now he just has to stay in and survive the first year as a plebe. Problem is that Jake doesn’t want help from anyone though he clearly can use it. His loner mentality and rebellious nature ends up hacking off his fellow trainees and puts him in direct opposition with the tough military leader Cole (Tyrese Gibson). The one thing Jake is good at though is boxing and so he decides that if he can win the Brigades at the end of the year he will not only prove his worth but also get back at Cole. Through the process he learns to open up and become a team player and turn his whole outlook around. He helps his fellow mates through their own personal obstacle courses while winning the heart of female officer Ali (Jordana Brewster). Who by the way looks just like Demi Moore’s character in A Few Good Men. Stop the madness. The only entertaining character in the whole movie is found in the role of Twins (Vicellous Reon Shannon), an out of shape cadet whose success has an entire city waiting and cheering. Shannon is the only one you find yourself pulling for and the single true relatable item in the film. Everything else is shallow and full of holes. Fans of An Officer and a Gentleman will only need about 10 minutes to see the similar plot line and characters and by the midway point will be able to second guess each and every turn. It almost becomes humorous. Problem is, this movie is really bad and doesn’t even come close to the writing, acting and depth of the 1982 Geer/Gosset success. It would be like me stripping a car of all its parts and then taking them home and trying to make something that runs. Sure, all the elements are there, but trust me, you aren’t going anywhere in it. Annapolis is rated PG-13 for some violence, sexual content and language. I give it 2.5 out of 5 pushups. And those are girl pushups at best. The Mungle 1/27/2006 "Matt is a member of the North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA) and hosts the weekly syndicated Indie Rock Radio Show Spin 180. Plus with his wife Cindy they do a weekly radio feature, The Mungles on Movies. For additional reviews and interview clips visit the website www.mungleshow.com
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