Pleasant Surprise

Rating: 9/10 (1 December 2004)

I have to be honest and confess that I went to see this movie because I had already seen everything else I was interested in. There was nothing in the trailers that really made me want to see it. My reaction to them was "rip-off of the Indiana Jones Series, it might stink". I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong. Well, semi wrong. It was in the Indy Jones genre of action-mystery swathed in a liberal dose of historic background. I think filmmakers hit a chord with audiences when they use a historical base because it makes it easier for the moviegoer to buy into the film's concept because they can relate to it from outside the world of Hollywood. In this case, the film is liberally sprinkled with historic factoids, some of which are even true (Well, it's still Hollywood after all.). All-in-all this is a movie made just for fun with the same sort of 1940's-50's Saturday afternoon moviehouse serial kind of thrills to it. So I guess Jon Turteltaub gets a big thank you from me for giving me this fun and entertaining film to pass away a snowy Sunday afternoon. But my highest praise goes to some possibly accidental additions, the actual presentation of an education as a good and desirable thing and for making the subject of history something other than the dry, boring exercise so many school kids think it is. For those, bless you guys one and all.
Let's continue with the cast. I have to say I haven't enjoyed Nicholas Cage as much in a movie since Moonstruck. He fit the part here for me. I don't think I could buy him as a serious academic, but as this screw up version of one he seems perfect.... sorry Mr. Cage. His nemesis here is his former partner played by Sean Bean, who made an excellent bad guy with just the right emphasis and not too much. I hate over-the-top characters usually (The one possible exception being Alan Rickman in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves). The striking and enjoyable Diane Kruger played the late entry love-interest for Cage. I liked her even if her character is entirely too beautiful for the dull administrator part. I hope to see more of her in films too. Hollywood again. But the real pleasant treasure in this film for me was the performance of Justin Bartha. I think this is the first thing I've seen him in and he made the overall cast far more enjoyable to me for the counterpoint he made with just the right touch of wit. He was so good I will now look for his name in film credits again hoping to see more of the very good things he seems to be very capable of. Bravo to casting for his selection here. The rest of the supporting cast was quite excellent too and doubtless responsible for the consistently overall excellence of the film. Jon Voight as Cage's Dad, Harvey Keitel as the G-Man and Christopher Plummer as the elder Gates were all very enjoyable to watch here.
The rest of the film was up to the standards set for it with the ambitious and excellent script. Costumes, music, art direction, sets, second unit work, everything was great and blended seamlessly into great, old-fashioned entertainment. I'd recommend this for the whole family.