Bold try... but ultimately rubbish. A tedious hash of a whinger with OCD

Rating: 6/10 (27 January 2007)

I hesitate to criticise someone else's spiritual beliefs--- but I get the feeling that this movie was not about spiritual beliefs so much as crazed attachment. The hero can't let go of his wife. Does that echo the romantic attempts and psychological profiles of the director or the writer? Dunno. But the sentiment is very Rob McCuen, Leonard Nimoy-ish, for those of you who may have come across those two writers' attempts at love poetry and such in the late 1960s (Nimoy, famous as Spock in Star Trek, also wrote a very gooey romance novel). Maudlin to the point of mawkish.
Just so you're clear, I LIKE metaphysical movies. And I like boldness in movie making. For that, the director gets kudos. But the pay-off was really bad. The hero displayed a narcissistic OCD that was meant to be endearing and inspiring and loving--- but just came off as creepy, indulgent, and well--- just plain crazy. As a result, most of his histrionics were annoying, rather than moving. He was, by turns, always shouting, throwing things, slamming things, or crying.
But Hey--- what about that Rachel Weisz? is she HOT or what? The movie is almost worth the time just to see her for a couple of hours. But even so, better just go and rent 'The Mummy' and be satisfied with that.
If you're a seeker--- well, you won't find it here. If you're a romance fancier--- same deal--- nothing here. The FX were nice, and the monkey had character, but that's about it. Save your time and your dough, and do something else. I gave this a 6 out of 10 because of Rachel, the FX, and the monkey, and at least the movie tried. Otherwise, to have been unnecessarily cruel, it was more of a 3.