The Lone Dreamer

Rating: 9/10 (1 February 2005)

"The Aviator" is a sumptuous, potent, marvelous, riveting, and endearing film about the mechanisms, trials, and tribulations of the legendary, illustrious, and exceptionally eccentric Howard Hughes, that is hardly a biography of the figure as much as it is a subtle study of his seminal and bewildering reputations during the "height of altitude" of his life. It is exalted by compassionate, riveting direction by "the master" Martin Scorcese, seamless acting by Lenoardo DiCaprio, who proves here that he can channel the most bewildering of figures, capturing his clandestine ambitions, demands, eccentricities, and repulsions to a captivating tee; a succulent and satirical screenplay encompassing the climate of the "Hollywood Golden Age", and some ingenious and meticulous technical designs throughout. The scenes of Hughes piloting his seemingly infeasible designs of aircraft are riveting and stunning, and the searing music of Howard Shore in accompanying these triumphs wings the thunder that is to be felt for breaching the realms of aviation potential. We get a distinct feeling of ambition realized and diminished with Hughes' flights and falls, realized meticulously by Martin Scorcese's majestic scope, like a breathtaking roller-coaster through the ferocious sky. Aside from his aviation mechanisms and propensity for power and perfection, we learn about Hughes' diatribes and altercations against his political and financial enemies, whom he feels "want to go to war with him", and moreover, his obsessive-compulsive tendencies and reclusive, manic abjections, which can hardly be understood by the photogenic, torrential public, which Hughes feels busies itself in triviality and scrutiny, while his preoccupation is relentless, yet invisible, ambition. Hughes is presented as exceedingly ambitious and brilliant, yet deeply conflicted, tormented, and crippled, both socially and emotionally- he is a man with many wily ideas, yet a disillusioned conscious, which often leaves him rambling and reiterating to himself, always beyond his psychological control. When he isn't dreaming, he fantasizing, demented, and deranged with the world, exhibiting caprice towards his clients and friends, and unhinged malice towards his enemies who would destroy him, namely Pan-Am and Senator Brewster (played astutely by Alan Alda). DiCaprio elicits much empathy and understanding for Hughes' seemingly inexplicable demons, and here is a character tortured by his own torrential conscience at odds with the scrutiny of the world. Cate Blanchett offers some quirky, zesty talent in the role of the illustrious and loquacious Hollywood goddess Katherine Hepburn, a particular mistress of Hughes early in his career with whom who experiences exhilarating flight and special romance. As a story, this is a challenging study about a challenging and challenged figure in challenging and unparalleled times. As a film production, it's as marvelous, riveting, and a auspicious, working thunderously as a fantastic drama interwoven with some rocketing aviation and gleaming production design, as well as shrewd direction, acting, and dialog. "The Aviator" is one of the year's best and most important films, a critical yet complimentary look at a marvelous, yet conflicted figure, and an entertaining and rewarding piece of film that is destined to be appreciated and adored through time, in "the way of the future"... "Show me the blueprints" of Oscar! **** out of ****