Why doesn't Ben Affleck do quality films anymore?

Rating: 1/10 (14 September 2002)

I have seen "Pearl Harbor" once, free of charge, and even that encounter felt like an imposition. The film is an abomination; it relies on a trite, if sweeping, score and a wealth of explosions to give it the feel of an epic, but its tired dialogue and minimally detailed script keep it far from that pantheon. Also, it's packed with historical inaccuracies, so many that I felt an apology to all who were actually stationed at Pearl Harbor during the attack might well be due. As for the actors themselves, nearly every performance was a disappointment, particularly Ben Affleck's. From his work with directors like Gus Van Sant and Kevin Smith, we have seen that he is capable of bringing to the screen characters that are both complex and compelling, but that seems not to be his interest in "Pearl Harbor". There is a hint of chemistry with costar Josh Hartnett that might have been developed and made the film more compelling, but, as presented, it is execrable.