don't believe the reviews, they were written by children

Rating: 1/10 (7 November 2010)

I don't actually consider this to be an awful film but felt that a note of restraint should be applied to the gushing superlatives thus far enjoyed by a film that simply doesn't deserve them.
It is a decent story reasonably well told. The direction is intelligent but probably led by the nose by a script that more or less demands sensational action sequences and often contrived drama and emotion.
Leonardo DiCaprio coasts through the film with a perfunctory performance which left me caring little about his character. The supporting cast, again, perform well enough but do nothing out of the ordinary.
The special effects are spectacular and beautifully choreographed but one can't help feeling that this is why many younger reviewers were seduced so successfully.
It is a good film and certainly entertaining but, at times, it was muddled and from time to time one couldn't help thinking, 'why don't they just use hypnosis' or some other suggestive technique. It seemed to be a long way to a short cut.
I am perhaps being churlish in that respect since one ought to suspend belief to a degree when watching this sort of simplistic, banal sci fi fairy tale. One reviewer reckoned that this was up there with 'The French Connection' or 'The Godfather'. It is a long, long way short of that.