A pity this wasn't the extended edition

Rating: 6/10 (16 January 2005)

It seems that the Aviator is heading for Oscar glory this year, but if it does win I suspect it will be more of a nod to Scorsese's body of work. This is not to say that this is a bad film and it would have really deserved it's likely Oscar success had the majority of the first hour been saved for the extended edition DVD.
The film focuses on the early years of Hughes especially his love of flying. His fight against mental illness is also dealt with and most people familiar with 20th century history will know where the story is leading. DiCaprio puts in a reasonable performance in the lead and is well supported by the rest of the cast including the excellent John C Reilly.
Once the film gets into stride it's gripping during the second act. If you turn up for the screening about 45 minutes late you'll see a really excellent film.