camcmahon

I have to say I really wasn't reeled in by this movie. It begs to be an epic film, but I just didn't feel that quality in it. I didn't care for the characters, and found most of them generally annoying. The dialogue was awful at times, I almost cringed to hear it. The speeches and conversations about loyalty and honour didn't hold any poignancy or nobility, they came across to me as horrendously cheesy. I can't say much for the acting either. In fact, it was downright appalling in places. The film was also full of action-adventure movie clichés, like all the knights turning their back on the leader only to return and back him up later. Not that I hate this sort of thing, but I've seen it too many times before. It was far too predictable. Throw in a rushed love story between Clive Owen and Keira Knightly and you've got yet another historical movie posing as an epic.

The film isn't all bad though, and what is lacked in substance it made up for in cool imagery. Some of the scenery and settings in the film where beautiful, and infused the film with a fantastic atmosphere. The film is dotted with a few good scenes here and there, and there are a few cool effects, it's just a pity that there weren't many, and even if there were I doubt it'd help out the obvious problems with the dialogue and acting.

Still, with all the problems I had with this movie, it was still watchable at the very least. If you're looking for a deep and involving film with a good script, don't watch this, but if you're bored on a Sunday afternoon then this is enjoyable enough.

Although I enjoyed this film and its story, I have to admit that i didn't really find it very scary. There were a few moments in the film which I found a little creepy, but there was nothing there that got right under my skin and made it crawl. I mean, personally, I don't find water very scary for one thing. Also, I felt that this was another horror movie labouring under the impression that little kids are scary. I'm sorry, but I just don't see what's meant to be so frightening about them. This was a ghost story that delivered little in the way of horror - at least from my perspective. I found the ghost in Takashi Shimizu's remake of The Grudge to be far scarier and more frightening than the ghost in this particular story.

Still, although the horror wasn't quite up to par, there were many elements of the film I still enjoyed. The lead performances given by Hitomi Kuroki and Rio Kanno were really good, they really fleshed out the film. The soundtrack was pretty good too. It definitely lent a certain tension to the story.

Overall, although I didn't find the film particularly horrific in any way, it still kept my attention until the end. It's definitely not Hideo Nakata's best, but worth watching if you're a fan.

This was an entertaining and fun piece of film making from the ever-reliable Steven Spielberg. It is a bit of a depart from his usual full-blown and hugely epic pictures, yet this does not detract at all from the fascinating story of Frank Abagnale Jr. I was interested in this man before I'd seen the movie, and it only served to increase my interest. Although it is important to remember (as with any such film) that this is only 'inspired' by a true story and not told word for word from one, the plot is fascinating and keeps you laughing, crying and wondering until the end.

Frank Abagnale Jr. is an astounding and interesting character. The real life Abagnale originally said that he did not believe Dicaprio to be 'suave' enough to play the role, but he certainly does pull it off. Dicaprio's acting is superb, and totally believable as a man who could lie to, deceive, and con everyone he met without once losing any of his charisma or charm. Hanks is also excellent, he plays the role of the obsessed FBI agent well, and also with a likable quality. The interaction between these two characters was great, it was interesting to see a budding relationship slowly build between two characters who were actually positioned against one another.

I loved the look of the film. It was a refreshing blast to see the 60s portrayed in such a vivid and colorful way. The whole setting and atmosphere of the film gave it a wonderful and almost (I hesitate to use the word) 'magical' sense. This tone appealed to me much more than a darker tone might have.

However, the film is rife with moral ambiguity. As much fun as it is to watch Dicaprio jumping from one place (and identity) to the next, forging checks and spending inordinate amounts of money at a whim, the film never really focuses on the morally bankrupt side of the story. The portion of the film devoted to this at the end still seems to skim over the fact that this man has stolen millions of dollars. It ends on a high note for Frank Abagnale Jr., never fully spelling out the wrongs he committed. Still, this would probably bring the whole film down, and sometimes it's fun just to enjoy a bit of escapism without being told off for desiring such things. I mean, it's hard to be totally strict and upright - you have to love it when Dicaprio's character swindles Jennifer Garner's prostitute for $400!

Overall, this is a fun film and really enjoyable. Not as much of an epic masterpiece as some of Spielberg's other movies, but still a great film!