absorbing entertainment

Rating: 9/10 (15 February 2005)

Its rare nowadays, that one can go to the cinema nowadays and be genuinely entertained in an intelligent way, but the AVIATOR is an exceptional movie. It has the ingredients of a fine story line, a strong script and fine performances, especially in the lead role by De Caprio. I thought that later on the movie he had a striking resemblance to Orson Welles- a la Kane! The sets especially, the aircraft are stunning-perhaps the true stars of the movie are the aircraft! It has been said that parts are glossed over, maybe, but this isn't a documentary but a work of fiction based on fact, and interpreted by a master of the cinema. It didn't seem a long film at all at nearly three hours I guess it should have been, but there you go--absorbed into a truly cinematic experience! Recommended