Annapolis

So much potential and no development of that potential. That doesn't mean it was a bad movie it just wasn't nearly as good as it could have been. At times it seemed like it wanted all the subplots to be as central as the main plot. This is a problem that has surfaced in a lot of movies of late and it kills the main plot in most cases. On the upside it the acting was pretty good. Tyrese Gibson was as good as always. Jordan Brewster was as good as she could be with what she was given. She was in a lot of scenes but they didn't give her a lot of dialogue, which is a shame. There's more than just good looks in that package. James Franco was good for once. While it's not going to make me a big fan yet it was the first time I actually thought he might have some talent.


Spoilers coming up:


Well there was the primary story between Jake (James Franco) and Cole (Tyrese Gibson) which was your standard instructor picks one guy. And no one around them is sure if it's because he wants to drum the guy out or toughen him up. But there are a lot of areas where they let the story down. Like when everyone goes home for break at Christmas and Jake thinks about not going back. It doesn't seem to fit because while he has struggled it hasn't been anything that bad and considering how he's spent his whole life wanting to go to the Naval Academy it's odd that he would give up so easily.

Of course he does go back and eventually things lead to him wanting to prove himself by fighting Cole in a boxing tournament. Problem is he isn't in Cole's weight class so Jake's roomate helps him find ways to gain weight while Jake helps his roommate "Twins" (the name given to him by a superior officer) get through the obstacle course. These are the two cadets that Cole would be happy to see go as would some of their fellow cadets. Jake barely makes it to the weight he needs to hit to be in the same class as Cole. While "Twins" doesn't make it through the obstacle course. Now this was clearly done because the writer was wanting to go against the norm of these movies which would be "Twins" making it and not getting kicked out. Which I really didn't like at that moment in the movie and I came to like it even less shortly there after. "Twins" then tries to kill himself and Jake attacks Cole. (This still isn't where the problem comes in.) Cole also wants his shot at Jake so he makes sure the disiplinary hearing is moved until after the fight. A fight that Cole ends up winning by decision. And thus the problem with this main storyline. If Cole wins that's fine because Jake put up a good fight and by the end everyone was cheering for him. But Cole needed to have it stuck to him at some point, either "Twins" completes the course in the required time and stays in or Jake beats him in the ring. He should never have come out on top with both parts of the story. It's not like Jake really needed any extra incentive to get in that ring with Cole.

Yes, the writer and director did a good job of staying away from the cliches of these movies but those cliches are there for a reason. That reason is it makes for a better more satisfiying movie.


Due to all my movie veiwing this weekend I also saw this one at a matinee and while, for me, there are things that would make it worth paying more for, I wouldn't recommend paying more than that to anyone else.