Scorsese fosters the inanity of Hollywood

Rating: 6/10 (20 February 2010)

If you've seen the trailer, and are a cinema-goer who enjoys thrillers or mysteries, you already know the plot of the first half of the film. Thus, I won't chronicle the movie's events, as that will neither persuade you to, or dissuade you from, seeing this film. Obviously, the following will be subjective. It is a review, after all.
First of all, I highly respect Scorsese as a film maker and an artist. His characters, infamous for their actions and humanity, have always been directed with a rare finesse. He picks stories with grit and emotion and is a master at such. Of late, however, he has seemingly acknowledged he can't outdo his acclaimed character masterpieces (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas) and has turned to genre pieces. I had high expectations going into this one, despite it being a February release (confounding). I was hoping, if not for a return to form for Scorsese, at least for something as entertaining as Departed, or as gorgeous and deliberate as the Aviator, or as vindictive as Gangs of New York. It had these qualities, but their respective stage time was uneven, intermittent at best. Onto the film
The atmosphere isn't gripping, but it is done in a lovely fashion. The story isn't captivating, but it is intriguing. The score isn't a subtle undercurrent, but it sure gets loud. The CGI is distracting, and I felt that many shots were uninspired and completely reliant on the location. But, as expected, the acting is commendable. Some of the cinematography is very nice. Also notable are Teddy's backstories, which were well implemented and interesting. Moving on, my gripes.
Critics are saying that the big twist (and it's a biggen) is either completely shocking, or completely nonsensical. In reality, its both. It's both because it comes out of almost thin air, and just makes you feel stupid. Don't be alarmed after the dust settles, though, because I doubt that 10% of the audience will have a notion of what ultimately happens. The ending isn't decisive, and I don't mind ambiguous endings, but this was just silly. There are discrepancies that may make you want to pull your hair out. Without saying much else, as so I don't ruin anything, this was ultimately disappointing. The first half was superb, but the first climactic point is actually a poor plot device in disguise, whereafter the story takes a hard dive into mediocrity. While this film is certainly above average, it's entertainment value is greatly diminished by its latter components. It saddens me that a living master is contributing to inanity in contemporary film-making.
Also, by the time the credits roll, you should have realized you've seen this film a few times before. I will not list any of them here, though, as they would ruin the fun of discovery! Enjoy, and happy viewing.