TC Candler's Review B+

"Some Men Dream About the Future... He Built It."

A relentlessly interesting, consistently entertaining but oddly unmoving piece of work from Martin Scorsese, "The Aviator" is a tale that all serious film lovers will appreciate... But I am not sure many of them will cherish it as a masterpiece. It falls just short of that lofty status despite a 168-minute running time that flies by in the blink of an eye.

It is virtually impossible to be bored during "The Aviator". Howard Hughes' life was not compatible with boredom. He was a deeply fascinating man, richer than almost any other of his time, a playboy who escorted the most beautiful silver screen starlets, a risk-taking business man, and a horrifyingly eccentric Mysophobe. His fear of germs virtually crippled his mind at the height of his financial power.

The problem with this film is not that it didn't hold my interest. It absolutely did. I'm just disappointed that Scorsese wasn't able to make me care any more than I did. If he had made me care, this film may just have been a deserved Oscar winner. As it stands, "The Aviator" is technically superb with its gorgeous sets, vivid colors, skillful performances and intriguing subject. But I won't be first in line to see it again.

I had the same issue with Scorsese's last effort, "Gangs of New York". I loved the production but had a hard time caring about many, if not most of the characters. Both films star Scorsese's new, younger De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio. I don't think it has anything to do with the "Titanic" star. He seems to be very good in every film he does. However, maybe the combination of director and star is not a match made in heaven.

All this being said, I tend to sound harsh when I critique Scorsese's recent films. That is assuredly because I hold him to a higher standard than I do the average schmo who gets to helm a major motion picture. This film is still vastly superior to most of the junk people will flock to see in 2004, but it pales in comparison to films like "Taxi Driver", "Raging Bull", "Goodfellas" & "Casino".

The cast is tremendous here. A veritable who's who of cameos can be enjoyed in this film. The leads, DiCaprio, Blanchett, Beckinsale, O'Reilly and Baldwin, are all brilliant performers who turn in quality work yet again. Special note to be made of Blanchett as Kate Hepburn and Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner... they are both wonderful here.

To reiterate, anyone serious about film criticism will grant that this is a quality film from top to bottom. But don't be surprised to find that those who claim to love this film will not be as kind to it a decade from now. I don't think "The Aviator" holds as much emotional impact as it should. And that is a shame because it is an interesting film about a fascinating man.

© Written by TC Candler

How We Rated This Film TC Candler - B+ Richard Propes - B- Jacob Hall - A

Richard Propes' Comment

In short, "The Aviator" is, for me, the most overrated film of the year with performances that seldom rise above "good" and direction that is disappointing. The production design, while impressive, is not as impressive in its implementation. For me, "The Aviator" is a good film that should have been brilliant.

Jacob Hall's Comment

"The Aviator" is a stunning and gorgeous film, certainly among the best of 2004, and Martin Scorsese's best since "Goodfellas." Although much different than what he is known for ("Mean Streets," "Raging Bull"), "The Aviator" has Scorsese written all over it. From the graceful and sweeping cinematography to the concise and amazing editing, this may be the greatest technical achievement of the year.