Lots of Physics but No Chemistry

Rating: 6/10 (27 April 2014)

I've heard that this one should only be seen in an IMAX theater, which seems like sound advice. Effects that must be amazing in 3D—like the big scene-stealing Mexican frog in the splashdown sequence—are just distracting on a smallish home screen. Worse than that, it's a movie that feeds the eye and starves the brain; the green-screen wizardry is compelling, but it doesn't begin to make up for the deficiencies of plot and character development. Even two charismatic pros like Clooney and Sandra Bullock can't do much to hoist this damp petard; my wife bailed after twenty minutes or so, pronouncing it "guy stuff," and I was all like, "Wait, wait! I have a feeling this routine jeopardy plot's about to turn into a Kubrickian fantasy of death and transfiguration!" It did, but that still didn't help much. Watchable but disappointing.