A good example of what all popular blockbusters should be like in a perfect world: character-focused dramas, where the special effects are used to fit the storyline and not to simply make up for the lack of a storyline. THE PERFECT STORM is definitely one of the best films of 2000, which in itself was a pretty good year for movies, and works because of the characterisation and acting involved, factors which really make us care about the people in the film before putting them through their paces.
Nobody really puts a wrong foot here, whether it's George Clooney as the weather-beaten captain who won't take no for an answer, or Mark Wahlberg as a fresh-faced rookie who stays loyal to his captain through the hardest times. As well as these two, the whole load of actors playing the crew members are fine, playing refreshingly non-clichéd characters. Acting stalwarts Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Michael Ironside also show up to lend some solid support in what is a uniformly excellent cast.
The CGI effects of huge 100 foot waves are seamlessly integrated into the actual water used on set, so that you're never less than convinced that what we see is taking place in the ocean - credibility gives this film a big plus. The pacing is slow at first, as we get introduced to the situation, but the build-up and the final battle for survival is phenomenal and breath-taking, which is what a good disaster movie should be. And all the time avoiding the typical clichés which a number of recent movies keep falling into. Also, for a mainstream film, the film is unusually downbeat in a poignant way, made all the more heart-rending due to the fact that it's a true story. THE PERFECT STORM is a film for all the family and a fine example of what a disaster movie should be; not much could be done to better it, in fact.
Nobody really puts a wrong foot here, whether it's George Clooney as the weather-beaten captain who won't take no for an answer, or Mark Wahlberg as a fresh-faced rookie who stays loyal to his captain through the hardest times. As well as these two, the whole load of actors playing the crew members are fine, playing refreshingly non-clichéd characters. Acting stalwarts Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Michael Ironside also show up to lend some solid support in what is a uniformly excellent cast.
The CGI effects of huge 100 foot waves are seamlessly integrated into the actual water used on set, so that you're never less than convinced that what we see is taking place in the ocean - credibility gives this film a big plus. The pacing is slow at first, as we get introduced to the situation, but the build-up and the final battle for survival is phenomenal and breath-taking, which is what a good disaster movie should be. And all the time avoiding the typical clichés which a number of recent movies keep falling into. Also, for a mainstream film, the film is unusually downbeat in a poignant way, made all the more heart-rending due to the fact that it's a true story. THE PERFECT STORM is a film for all the family and a fine example of what a disaster movie should be; not much could be done to better it, in fact.