Acting was great; story was mediocre

Rating: 7/10 (26 May 2002)

If actors make a movie then those bankrolling this film should be thanking the stars, both the celestial and the human varieties. Oh, the story was OK and fairly predictable. I even found myself trying to guess the unexpected twists that never materialized. But Pacino showed why he is still one of the finest actors around today. His portrayal of someone suffering from sleep deprivation was so real that we couldn't understand why it wasn't more recognizable to those acting with him. Robin Williams was able to overcome his typecasting and was perfectly believable as a calculating villain. Hillary Swank did an excellent job of morphing her character as the plot developed. There were a couple of scenes where one had to willingly suppress disbelief, such as when Pacino spent about a minute trapped below surface in frigid waters after a vigorous pursuit sequence. Then there was the fog that mysteriously thickened at the worst possible moment. The conclusion of the film was plausible but not completely satisfying. I would have liked more twists throughout. But the acting was wonderful and made the move a "must see."