Evolution

Title: Evolution

Year of Release: 2001

Date Viewed: November 3rd, 2010

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Evolution is about a primitive alien species that quickly evolve into intelligent advanced creatures. It's too bad the same can't be said for the humans that worked on this movie.

Set outside a college community in Arizona, Ira Kane (David Duchovny) and Harry Block (Orlando Jones) are two professors that investigate a fallen meteor that crashed in the desert. Kane takes home a sample of unknown specimen and is astonished at how fast they change. These organisms are separating and growing at a rate that even the naked eye can witness in progress.

Convinced that a Nobel Prize is within their grasp, Kane and Block return to the crash site for more research only to discover that the area is now under military control. Evidently, the professors' data research had been hacked into and reported as a possible national threat. Sensing that he wouldn't be receiving due credit for the discovery, Kane disobeys orders to stay away and infiltrates the guarded area, putting him at odds with attractive scientist Allison Reed (Julianne Moore).

Before anyone knows what hit them, the alien beings have grown more hostile and are now the size of the dangerous kind of zoo animals. An all-out military assault appears to be the only plausible option to save the human race from being devoured by these new visitors. But Kane soon realizes that nuclear warfare will only add to the problem. A new solution needs to be implemented if he can only convince the arrogant General Russell Woodman (Ted Levine) to listen to him.

Playing the role of sideshow clown is Seann William Scott. He plays the useless sidekick character that only exists so the audience can laugh at his stupidity, clumsiness and annoying animal calls. The real reason he was casted was because the American Pie movies were popular in 2001. America loved watching Seann William Scott but realized too late that he was only funny when playing Stifler.

David Duchovny and Julianne Moore are not known for their comedic timing yet were expected to perform at the same level as Bill Murray and Sigourney Weaver. How can I tell, you ask? Because the entire storyline is an obvious nod to the Ghostbusters franchise and it even has Ivan Reitman as the director. But whereas Ghostbusters was charming and fresh, Evolution is as stale as the cereal in my cupboard. The much needed chemistry among the cast was not there. Yet the script still forces a romantic relationship between Kane and Reed using the same circumstances that we've seen in the movies a billion times before. Guy and girl come from different backgrounds and disagree over a matter. They can't stand each other. The guy then does something cool that the girl admires. Then they both kiss and act as if they were made for each other all along. That's the way the cookie cutter crumbles.

What's most baffling to me is the way the human characters respond to these alien beings. Their impressions have an irrational transition from wonderment to panic. Sure, the creatures are getting larger. But what real harm have they done? You would think that these scientists would have a better solution than simple termination unless they were the crazy comic book mad scientists. But there is no reason to believe there was ever a real danger outside of character dialogue explaining hypothetical situations.

A few highlights exist. One standout moment involves Professor Block in a scene that parodies the chest bursting scene from Alien. A small creature invades his body, leaving the doctors with no choice but to remove it by digging into his rectum.

The creatures in question are digitally animated. They look cute and grotesque at the same time. Probably the perfect design to compliment the movie's zany tone.

The idea behind Evolution is not bad. It just failed to evolve into a good result. Ivan Reitman may have an eye for effective comedy, but nobody is perfect and even a veteran like him can be stumped on how to present what's pitched to him. He tried to re-use the same formula that has worked for him in the past to no avail. When the scientists in the movie found out that the end would be disastrous, they went back to the drawing board. The screenwriters would have been wise to follow suit.

Rating: 3

Rat Race

Title: Rat Race

Year of Release: 2001

Date Viewed: October 3rd, 2010

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Place your bets on your favorite comedian. They're about to race!

Helmed by one of the co-directors of Airplane, this loose re-imagining of 1963's It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World stars over a dozen actors that were popular in 2001 with only some retaining that popularity today. I don't really believe it's fair to draw a direct comparison between these two films. But if you insist on doing so, you can give the edge to Mad World for having the more reputable cast.

The story begins in Las Vegas, Nevada. We are introduced to a series of otherwise unconnected gamblers. Whoopi Goldberg and Lanai Chapman are a mother/daughter pair reuniting for the first time since their early separation. Jon Lovitz is an average family man in town to see a live David Copperfield performance. Seth Green and Vince Vieluf are brothers barely making ends meet hoping to catch their lucky break. Cuba Gooding Jr. is an NFL referee hiding out in Las Vegas to avoid the media that's mocking him for a recent controversy. Breckin Meyer is an uptight aspiring lawyer. And last but not least, Rowan Atkinson is a foreign visitor who keeps fumbling the English language in humorous ways.

All the characters win a special slot machine token that promises a "once in a lifetime opportunity." They are summoned by Vegas hotel owner and billionaire Donald Sinclair (John Cleese). They have all been randomly selected as contestants in his game. In Silver City New Mexico, there is a locker located in a train station that contains a bag with two million dollars in cash inside. Each of the contestants are given an identical matching key that opens up the locker. The individual or team that reaches the loot first gets to keep the entire prize while the rest go home empty-handed. There are no rules to the game. Reach the goal first by any means necessary.

Is this game just an exhibition of Sinclair's generosity? Of course not. As the uptight lawyer points out, there is always an angle. Sinclair is a gambler too. He is part of the highest rollers of Vegas that enjoy betting on anything and everything. To go into further detail would spoil some gags. This race is just one of the many things that his club are trying to bet and win big on.

That about sums up the plot. The rest is a nonstop fun ride involving planes, trains and automobiles. Sadly no John Hughes involvement though.

It's essentially a "one gag followed by another" kind of movie. The first fifteen minutes is agonizingly slow and would cause most watchers to wonder if they had invested in something beneath their intelligence level. But underneath all its zaniness, Rat Race is a patient film. The parts add up to the whole. Some scenes that seem pointless early on will have a payoff down the road. My favorite running gag involves Jon Lovitz's character losing his vehicle then hijacking an antique car formerly owned by Adolf Hitler's army. Trouble follows him and each situation is funnier than the last.

This is one of those comedies that I like to pull from the DVD shelves whenever I'm hosting company. It's amusing to watch how different people react to different material. Some scenes that you expect to draw laughs do not and vice versa. I feel obligated to warn that some of the gags are not for the easily offended. One friend almost walked out after watching Rowan Atkinson's character mishandle a human organ that was being transported for surgery. It might have hit a little too close to home. It's probably best to know your audience a little bit before suggesting this for an evening's entertainment.

Other gags simply wear out their welcome by the second half. Cuba Gooding Jr.'s character commandeers a tour bus full of Lucille Ball impersonators on their way to an I Love Lucy convention. Amusing at first, but I wanted to plug up my ears after the fourth "Lucy whine". Gooding himself is actually golden in this. Around the time of this movie's release, he had mainly been known for dramas and I remember being surprised at how good he was at making a panic attack funny.

The only seriously frustrating part is the finale. It almost works because it ties up all the loose ends, remains loyal to the characters who I grew to love, and ends on a welcome happy note. But it doesn't work because it is doomed to be forever dated with the pop culture that it's associated with. It's a glaring example of how studios can sell themselves out through commercialism at the cost of remaining timeless. I have not seen It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad world, but many film fanatics that I mingle with consider it to be a timeless classic. I sort of broke my own promise of not comparing the movies but I had to point out a reason for why Rat Race is not a classic despite having so much in common with its inspiration.

The moments of brilliance in Rat Race always make me forget about its shortcomings. That's why I enjoy revisiting it as often as I do. I would love to see some readers share their favorite moments if they feel inclined enough.

Rating: 7

Ali

Title: Ali

Year of Release: 2001

Date Viewed: July 11th, 2010

MPAA Rating: R

The always charismatic Will Smith gets the chance to portray an icon in the Michael Mann-directed and simply titled Ali. Whether the material has promise or not, Smith can always be counted on to bring his A-game to the studio. Fortunately for us, Smith is not the only one with their A-game intact. The supporting cast and direction also do an admirable job of bringing history to life in this admirable film.

Muhammad Ali's early life is passed over in favor of focusing on the time when Ali's stock rises to its highest level. The movie opens with a montage where we see Smith as Ali (known then as Cassius Clay) preparing his body and mind for a big heavyweight boxing bout. In the background, we see speeches from Malcolm X (played here by Mario Van Peebles) and Martin Luther King Jr (LeVar Burton). This video package is effective in playing up to how Ali fits with the rest of the inspirational African American icons and its setup for the title fight taking place of a prologue. It also could be an artistic reference to the personality of Ali himself. Talk a big game then let your fists finish the conversation. Indeed, Ali was known for his words just as much as his fights.

After the impressive opening, we are given a glimpse of Ali away from the spotlight. He is devoted to the nation of Islam and is friends with Malcolm X. He is also quite the ladies man. Mann saw fit to give Will Smith a long love scene with his real wife Jada Pinkett Smith. Perhaps it's an overly generous contract deal but at least it stays true with its title character.

Ali's invincible image takes a hit after the assassination of Malcolm X. Distraught and bitter over the ongoing civil rights battle, Ali refuses induction into the US military, using his Islamic background as a case for the conscientious objector clause. His other reasoning is that he should not have to fight against the Vietnamese when his real enemy is right at home within US borders. While awaiting trial, Ali's title is stripped away and later won by rising star "Smokin" Joe Frazier. After winning the lengthy case, Ali is then given a chance to regain his title by challenging the man who defeated Frazier; George Foreman. This fight closes the film in the same manner as it opened; a dramatic battle for supremacy.

We are not really given a chance to explore the mind of Ali. Rather the movie operates as a fly-on-the-wall perspective of his finest moments. It should also be noted that the movie doesn't really humanize its protagonist either. His followers are in awe of his presence yet Ali is also a bit of an enigma. Case in point: for a long time in reality, his Islamic background was placed in doubt over the possibility of it being nothing more than a ploy to escape the military draft. We also do not see why he and Malcolm X have such a strong bond or why he took such joy at using announcer Howard Cosell (an unrecognizable Jon Voight) as comedic material. These unexplored areas work to the film's advantage since it's real goal was to present a moving tribute to the legend of Muhammad Ali instead of just the man himself.

Visually, the film is impressive. Mann uses a variety of camera angles, still shots and moving shots to bring this tale to life. In the past, I have criticized Mann for relying too much on style over substance. The same methods apply here but it feels much more at home this time. A ton of credit should also be given to all responsible for setting up the fight scenes; the movie's bread-and-butter. This is no Rocky Balboa picture. The scenes are presented with the purest detail of realism and Smith imitates Ali's fighting style flawlessly. If it were not for these scenes, the movie would fail to be memorable.

The scenes that illustrate Ali's journey from man to legend may seem to drag too long for some viewers. I give Mann credit for marching to the beat of his own drum and avoiding some of the usual cliches that accompany sports-related biopics. The outline is unorthodox but it works fine.

Much like the man himself, Ali packs a solid punch. Those looking for a more complete examination of the legendary boxer will be disappointed in what Mann has to offer. Those that want to see the impact of what this legend had on so many will probably find satisfaction.

Rating: 8