Too bad

Rating: 4/10 (29 December 2001)

Disclaimer: I am a fan of Carl Sagan and a former physics student... Furthermore, I will be commenting on the conclusion, so if you have neither read nor seen this work, please disregard the rest.
Having just received "Contact" as a christmas present, I feel compelled to comment on it. I have seen it many times before, though not as many as I have read it, and hence my rather bad review (I had to own it, since I am compiling a "Complete Jodie Foster" collection).
I think, that it is a movie that one has to see, but to grasp the real point, one has to see it, and then read and understand!
To do the movie justice, I am obliged to state, that the acting from Jodie Foster and a few of the other lead actors had nothing to do with my bad feelings about this movie. The acting is great, but the adaptation for the silver screen is below ordinary sub-standard!
One can always comment on the simplification of the plot, when a book is being filmed, but in this case, it would seem, that the point of the book is the opposite of that of the film. In both, Dr. Arroway is the lead character, but I had the distinct feeling, that while the book is a way of telling other scientists, being or in spe, to consider their believes once more, with the shadow of "religious faith" influencing the line of thought, this movie seems to me to be nothing more than a shallow action drama, corroborating the thought, that "scientists may provide the means of our way of life, but they are wrong, and should be cast into the fires of eternal damnation"!!! (It isn't that bad, but well nigh).
All things considered, it is another mainstream Hollywood movie, that tells another story than the book upon which it is based. It happens so often, that I seldom comment upon it, but since this particular movie has neglected well nigh all the major points of the book, I am loath to let my voice be heard.
However, if you are just a sucker for a good story, and haven't the time to read, I can still recommend it, since the acting is quite ok.