Can you say "Overkill?"

Rating: 1/10 (7 June 2004)

There's nothing deep or important going on here, so a critique of this film is almost unnecessary. What passes for quality film making is nothing more than an overproduced, loud, stunning "Imax" experiment in eye-candy that masks, once again, a slowly moving, thin story line. Obviously, the members of SAG have dispensed with background checks on film editors. There's enough slow-motion footage here to circumnavigate the globe twice. Many people will be amazed by the neverending, in-your-face action sequences but for those who still pine to see the actors perform also, you'd better search elsewhere. It's like trying to read the Latin version of "War And Peace" while simultaneously being pulverized inside a blender. And if having way too many computerized fight scenes forced down your throat wasn't enough, just wait the full ninety hours for the saccharine-glazed, overlit endings. And there are at least 5 of them. For a while, I was expectin Obi Wan Kenobi's ghost to show up and smile goodbye. And Cate Blanchett never looked so vapid. It's brass, tacky, loud, long, obvious schlock and thus hugely popular. Beautiful looking rarely translates to quality in content and this is a prime example. Giving so many awards to this fillibuster is just a waste of gold-plating.