A masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (22 May 2005)

It's awfully refreshing to see a film like this; and depressing to realize that even on a tiny screen, with jarring commercials every twenty minutes, it's still a good sight better than most movies coming out today.
Director Nichols is a master of creating mood on screen; every scene, every shot even, is carefully aimed to mirror the mood of protagonist Yossarian. When he is not in the scene, the tone shifts abruptly to one of absurd humor (particularly the glorious scene with Bob Newhart as Major Major, which is even funnier than it was in the book). It takes a real talent to synthesize this type of comedy with the pure psychological drama of Yossarian's character, and Nichols pulls it off - the constant flashback scenes, which would be ludicrous in a lesser film (and were even pushing it in the book) are entirely believable and powerful.
Of course it doesn't hurt to have a cast stacked with first-rate actors, even in minor parts. Alan Arkin (Yossarian) captures the realism of his character perfectly, and everyone else is just larger-than-life enough to reflect Yossarian's state of mind perfectly. Particularly notable is the great Jon Voight as the manic wheeler-dealer Milo.
If at times the script becomes overpowering and confusing, that's due to its understandable attempt to capture as much of the book's chaotic energy as possible. A viewer who hadn't read Catch-22 may be left cold by some of the scenes, though, and that may be the movie's only weak point.
Still, this is what happens when every ingredient of a film comes together - a cinematic experience that works on every level. Highly recommended.