The Aviator
Review by Jason Donner
Howard Hughes was the kind of guy that had everything except a sane
bone in his body. True, according to this movie, he was a pioneer in
aviation, he was romancing the prettiest young starlets in Hollywood,
and he overcame any obstacle that got in his way... but at his heart,
Hughes was a scared little germaphobe and, the combination of these
two elements... the hero and the coward... are really what makes
The Aviator such an interesting movie.
Martin Socrsese
is back after the disappointment that was Gangs of New York and
has given us a film about a great man whose biggest enemy was his own
demons. It's smart, sexy, sad, and tragic and I loved just about every
minute of it.
The Aviator focuses on Hughes early years in the 30's and 40's
and doesn't even touch upon his last couple of decades when he went
from a little crazy to a whole lot of crazy. Still, even if you aren't
aware of the tragic ending of Howard Hughes, you can definitely see
his ultimate demise coming like some kind of long dark shadow
throughout this movie.
Leonardo DiCaprio has had a lot of trouble in roles. In Gangs of
New York, for example, he looks like a little boy in a man's role
which really sucks because DiCaprio is an incredible actor when given
an appropriate part. Well, in The Aviator, DiCaprio has finally
become a man in my eyes. Little Leo has grown up and has taken the
part of Howard Hughes by the neck and doesn't let go. DiCaprio is
completely believable in this movie and I'll even go so far as to say
that this is probably the best part he's played in his career so far.
Cate Blanchette plays Katherine Hepburn and, I might as well say, that
she is the film's other highlight. In fact, the similarity between her
and the real Hepburn is almost scary. Blanchette and DiCaprio, in my
eyes, have earned at least a nomination for an Oscar if not the award
itself... of course, if it comes down between DiCaprio and Jaime Foxx,
my head just might explode.
Martin Socrsese is also back in top form as The Aviator is a
visual treat from beginning to end. The colors in this movie are
amazing as they seem to reflect the time period that we are in at the
time, the costumes are great, the effects are nice, and every shot in
this film - even the ones you wouldn't think would - have something
visually appealing in them.
This movie is less biography than it is a dramatic epic. With actors
in top form, a great script, and a director finally back at the top of
his game, The Aviator is primed to fly high.