Rubber Soul

Rating: 4/10 (20 May 2009)

I saw this with low expectations, and still found it disappointing. No matter what type of action film, there are always opportunities to discover something new and entertaining. There are a few moments where this borders on being innovative, and walks away.
The biggest problem with this movie is there is too much going on, and not enough time for the audience to become invested in the world. There are some great locations where we could get to know the characters...let the atmosphere sink in, but it never lasts. In fact, we're given caricatures, not characters. We see Bryce Howard's expressive eyes and her innocence, but never get to know her character's soul. Christian Bale knows how to convey intensity, but it seems like he's forgotten how to convey the sort of passion that he showed in Empire of the Sun. That kind of desperation and resilience and fear is what I'd rather see in his character than the coarse monologues about surviving and being tough, one after another.
For a story that tries to define what it is to be human in terms of emotional registers and taking chances, it sides with the logic of the machines. It knows how to pacify audiences, but fails to win their spirit.