A puzzling and enigmatic personality

Rating: 7/10 (18 September 2006)

Legends about Howard Hughes are numerous about his final days, when he cocooned himself in a hotel in Las Vegas, but this film offers some astonishing insights about the reclusive billionaire even for those familiar with his legacies.
Hughes was a colorful and interesting man, a tireless workaholic successful in almost everything he did. Even when a project failed, he'd bounce right back, never giving up at any time. As the Aviator, he actually held a speed record for a flight at one time. He was a film producer. He was popular with women. He founded an airline. He owned casinos in Vegas. And on and on. Although Leonardo DiCaprio' performance captured this unique and enigmatic man's puzzling personality well, he doesn't resemble him enough. This may detract from the movie for some viewers, others may overlook it since DiCaprio's work was so strong.
It's a powerful story which is depicted well. Special effects of a plane crash he miraculously survives are executed with uncompromising intensity. The rise of the entrepreneur is depicted well; the ferocious and unwavering spirit of Hughes is clearly defined, as is his ultimate descent into a paranoid reclusiveness. The scene with the milk bottles will leave you shuddering as you consider the tragic degeneration of a man of his stature. The film is not exploitive in this, but sympathetically offers insights into this man's psychological state.
The movie achieves all that it sets out to do, and will leave you thinking afterwards.