Starring: Bill Paxton, Helen Hunt, Jami Gertz, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Alan Ruck, Cary Elwes, Abraham Benrubi, Lois Smith, Todd Field, Jeremy Davies, Joey Slotnick
Directed By: Jan DeBont
Written By: Michael Crichton & Anne-Marie Martin
Director Of Photography: Jack N. Green
Edited By: Michael Kahn
A movie where the script is written around the special effects rather then telling a story. So when in doubt of having compelling story throw in a melodramatic soap opera like love triangle. Will bill Paxton who is going to be a national weatherman choose his soon to be ex-wife adventurous but haunted who is a storm chaser with her band of pirate like co-workers or his establishment prim and proper high class psychiatrist fiancé. Now don't get me wrong this film starts with a jolt with one hell of a opening scene but then it falters with the rest of the film like the movie cliffhanger. it is disappointing where one of the best scenes in the trailer fails to exist in the finished film. The scene from the trailer that doesn't exist here was a trailer flying towards the windshield of a truck that the audience is watching from.
This film is an all star or future star or hey I know that guy extravaganza. At the time i remember I was shocked and happy that bill Paxton finally was playing the lead in a big budget blockbuster a-list movie a chance for him not only to show his potential but some better quality material scripts well this film had a bigger budget but the material was just as bad as his usual at that point. The movies he was in were ones that went straight to video or cable.
This was also supposed to be a comeback for jami gertz as you can tell that didn't exactly happen. In fact at the time Helen hunt was the biggest star in this movie. How long ago was that and trust me while being entertaining there was no sign that future oscar winner Philip seymour hoffman was going to go onto future greatness between this and the film my boyfriend's back. i'm sure he would like to strike these from his resume
Another disappointing aspect to add with the many.is that this was director jan debont's second film after he started off so well with "Speed" an actually good entertaining film. He really hit a low tide sophomore slump with this film. While not only being ridiculous wasn't even entertaining it was slow between the storms with bantering and more embarrassing filler and then when we do see the storms in all there glory or get close to see the on-coming damage. It's not at all awe inspiring it'sok or passable probably should have known with the movie we were going down a bad road when the theme song is done by van halen. Not the van halen with david lee roth or sammy hagar nor the van halen between singers where they had the singer from extreme as there vocalist.
Jan debont still hasn't made a credible or good film since he's the eqivalent of a one hit wonder or falco with the song "Rock me Amadeus." Still living off the notoriety of hisone good piece of work and his years as a editor before he became a director. Now it seems like his style is workman like or ble collar like he shows up for the check no ingenuity, ideas or energy.
Interesting that this was the first film to be released on dvd. I guess to market on superior picture quality and sound. It should have been very telling that the original director of photography and other crew members quit halfway through filming after arguments with director debont.
GRADE: F
