The Perfect Storm is a disaster film that, while not as cataclysmic as many other such movies, focuses on the main six lives that were lost when the Andrea Gail sank below the Atlantic. While these six men are all flawed, they seem genuine in their actions and relationships (though Bugsy’s appeal to that single mother is inexplicable), and the eulogy at the end is truly touching. However, The Perfect Storm, like Witness, also lovingly presents a way of life that seems foreign to outsiders like me. While I would not want to be part of that world of sailing and fishing, I can still admire the unsung heroes who work so hard to bring in fish that most of us take for granted.
It’s not a perfect disaster film, in part because it tries too hard to show the extent of the disaster. My poem makes no mention of the three-person crew of the Mistral or the Air National Guard helicopter that comes to rescue them. These scenes present how the storm affected more than just the Andrea Gail, but they also distract from the six people that are otherwise the center of the movie. The Coast Guard scenes drag on a bit too long, and I can’t help but feel that they were added just to make the film longer. This, plus the strong sexual innuendo and frequent language that are probably not as bad as on most sailing vessels, detracts from what is otherwise a film with great acting and special effects. It’s just a shame that those men lost their lives just trying to make a living.
P.S. Try reading the poem to the cadence of Gordon Lightfoot’s “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Best line: “I’ll be asleep, and all the sudden there he is, that big smile. You know that smile. And I say, ‘Hey, Bobby – where you been?’ but he won’t tell me. He just smiles and says, ‘Remember, Christina: I’ll always love you; I loved you the moment I saw you; I love you now; and I love you forever. There’s no goodbyes – there’s only love, Christina; only love.’ Then he’s gone. But he’s always happy when he goes so I know he’s got to be okay – absolutely okay.”
Artistry: 5 Characters/Actors: 7 Entertainment: 6 Visual Effects: 8 Originality: 5 Watchability: 5 Other (innuendo and language): -7 TOTAL: 29 out of 60Tomorrow: #335 – 9 to 5
© 2014 S. G. Liput