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and The Matrix. No mercy. No shame.
No sequel Starring Carmen Electra.
Shannon Elizabeth, Li’l Kim, Cheri Oteri
and a the rest ot the Wayans brothers.
Opens Friday.
SHAFT (R) Samuel L. Jackson is a
tough, smart-mouth New York detective
in director John Singleton's stylish
update on the 1971 ‘blaxploitation*
classic. The film maintains a cool, gritty
style similar to the original and touches
on serious social issues. However, it
loses its balance somewhat along the
way and almost stumbles over its
numerous implausibilities and over-the-
top violence. The story mostly follows
the wide-eyed, goateed detective as he
investigates a brutal, racially-motivated
murder, keens tabs on the killer and
confronts the unfairness entrenched in
the justice system. Jackson delivers a
surprisingly smooth performance, even
it his bug-eyed ‘bad mutha’ delivery is
starting lo look a bit stale. With
Christian Bale. Jeffrey Wright. Toni
Collette, Busta Rhymes, Vanessa
Williams. Dan Hedaya and Lee
Tergeren. Featuring music from Isaac
Hayes. (Beech wood, Carmike)
UTAH A.E. (PG-13) Computer-gener
ated animation meets comic hook sci-fi
in this visually impressive action-drama
from directors Don Bluth and Gary
Goldman. After Earth is destroyed by the
attack ol the Drej—an evil alien race
that fears the intelligence ol humans—
in 3028, a pack of human heroes use a
map that shows the way to a mysterious
‘earthship’ called The Titan that may
hold the key to saving mankind from a
terrible fate. Featuring the voices ol Mat
Damon. Bill Pullman, Hank Azaria. Drew
Barrymore. Jim Breuer, Janeane
Garofalo, Nathan Lane, John Leguizamo
and Lena Olin. (Beechwood. Carmike)
28 DAYS (PG-13) Sandra Bullock
plays a heavy-drinkin', pill-poppin' party
girl who gets sentenced to 28 days at a
drug and alcohol rehab center in this
ligLtweight drama. The film tries to
examine specific peculiarities of addic
tion, denial and dependency while
maintaining an exaggerated ‘cute’ vibe.
(Mall)
MOVIE PICK
PATRIOTIC GORE
THE PATRIOT (R) This grand, sentimental
Revolutionary War epic never quite digs its boots
into the ideas of "patriotism" and "liberty" and
what they meant to the cause of the Continental
Army, but it certainly depicts the nature of the
struggle and the look of the times. Filled with
powerful performances, expansive, scenic pho
tography and a handful of realistically brutal
battle scenes. The Patriot is moving, disturbing
and complicated. It almost caves in from the
weight of attempting too much, however, and
ixpects its audience to have already brushed up
heavily on Colonial history.
Mel Gibson leads the cast in an effective per
formance as Benjamin Martin, a South Carolina
farmer living inland off the Santee River. Very
loosely based on the reaHife Francis Marion-
known as 'The Swamp Fox" for his cunning
guerrilla-type tactics—Benjamin is a loyal, stem
family man with a mysterious past (involving a
famous battle during the previous French and
Indian Wars). "I have long feared that ay sins
will come to visit me and that the costs will be
more than I can bear," he lets us know early in
the film
This story begins in early 1776 as the
Colonies are about to draft a Declaration of
Independence and dive into war against King
George Hi's well-organized Redcoat army.
Benjamin resists the urge to go to war; he's seen
enough bloodshed and aims his concerns at his
family rather than at the cause of the newly
forming nation. Tm a parent. I haven't got the
luxury of principles," he announces at a state
delegation summit.
Benjamin's eldest son, Gabriel (Heath Ledger,
showing impressive range after the teen flick 10
Things I Hate About You), is determined to fight
for the cause, however. He registers for service
against his father's wishes and promptly marches
off to war.
The story turns sharply after the film's vil
lain, the sinister, sneering British Col. William
Tavington (Jason Isaacs), anives on the scene ^t
Benjamin's farmhouse and wreaks havoc.
Benjamin's reaction sets off the first of several
shocking and well-shot combat scenes. Think
Eraveheart and Gladiator with a splattering of
Saving Private Ryan. No coincidence there, as
both Ryan and The Patriot were written by
Robert Rodat.
Immediately afterward, Benjamin hides and
assembles a small, ragtag band of fellow "militi
amen." The gang uses steaithy tactics to aggra
vate the armies of Tavington and foppish British
Gen. Cornwallis (Tom Wilkinson)—a leader who
conducts "perfect campaigns" and promotes a
"gentlemanly" conduct between opponents.
Benjamin and his militia know that old-school
warfare—"going musket to musket with the
British army''—would be suicide, so they opt for
a sneaky hit-and-run approach, forever popping
up from behind trees, bridges and com fields to
pick off a few dozen Redcoats at a time. The
massive battle scenes show men and horses,
entrenched in muddy, bloody sword fights and
face to face shootouts (reminder: it takes a few
minutes to reload a pistol or musket after just
one shot). The scenes are well-staged by
director Roland Emmerich (Godzilla,
Independence Day).
Unfortunately, Emmerich mishandles much of
the rest of the story. Benjamin is a flawed man
with heroic qualities, but the balance between
his ruthlessness, his supposed patriotism and his
devotion to his children is shaky. Other side
plots touch on such issues as slavery, disloyalty,
religious conviction, war crime and the pursuit
of liberty, but never fully examine any of them.
Two romantic subplots go nowhere.
Audiences may be confused or even bored by
all the sentimental silliness, but they will be riv
eted by the violent battle scenes. Historians may
argue over a few details, but most moviegoers
will be captivated.
Ballard Lescmann
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