Another Baseball movie

Rating: 7/10 (5 December 2006)

Yet another baseball movie roles around, and we always wonder if this one will be "it". The Natural(1984), directed by Barry Levinson is an enjoyable, entertaining movie that is above average in many respects. The Natural certainly isn't revolutionary, but its worth a shot.
The Natural has a wonderful story. It is a story about a man overcoming his past and achieving his boyhood dreams. Roy Hobbs, in what would have been the peak of his career, is shot and disappears from the game altogether for nearly 20 years. After this lengthy stretch he attempts to come back to the game, but such an attempt proves what would be an entirely futile attempt, as seen in the dugout during batting practice as Hobbs approaches the coaches telling them he's actually already on the team, much to the coach's dismay to the addition of this "nobody". Sentimite quickly changes, as just a few scenes later he is being interviewed as he walks from the locker room from a rather large congregation of members of the press. Hobbs eventually sets out and accomplishes what he had original set to do. While the plot proves to be entertaining, it is not terribly original. This, however, does not detract much from the movie, keeping it at an overall appealing film. The Natural, while not terribly original, entertains with a story about determination and triumph where the Hobbs overcomes his past.
Many directorial techniques enhance the film by making certain scenes increasingly dramatic. The use of slow motion is abundant in this movie-almost to a fault, yet it serves to intensify the plot at key points. The final scene of the film features a very dramatic game where Hobbs has to pull his team out of what seems to be an abyss. He steps up to the plate in slow motion and the anticipation builds. The opposing picture, who looks daunting enough, is viewed from a low angle shot, enhancing his daunting character. The drama is built to where viewers begin to wonder if Hobbs can really pull it off. The directors use of cinematic directorial techniques help to dramatize the film with such techniques as slow motion and low angle shots.
While the movie is enjoyable, the action goes so far that is is far-fetched, taking away from the experience. The final scene, again, is very dramatic, but that's not where it goes wrong. Hobbs and the rest of the team are playing terribly, and what could have been a great victory looks like a quickly fading dream. However, towards the end of the game Hobbs hits the game winning home run. But this isn't just any home run. This home run went literally out of the park, and hit the stadium lights which almost literally explode. A shower of sparks rain down over the stadium as Hobbs rounds the bases (in slow motion again). The sparks begin falling in the outfield, but somehow migrate to rain on the team as they celebrate Hobbs's victory which appears to be a powerful scene if you aren't groaning as to how far out this movie (and especially this scene) go. Other far-fetched scenes are plentiful, such as batting practice where Hobbs hits consecutive home run after home run. This, unfortunately, isn't the work of steroids at their finest, but a movie crossing the line (and then some). Many incredible events, such as the main character possessing superman-like abilities at key moments such as the climax and the batting practice scene take away from the film.
The Natural is an emotional, powerful movie. Many scenes which prove to be possible tear jerkers in this movie are present. For example, Hobbs's bat was hand carved from the wood of a lightening struck tree. His bat, however, breaks in the climax, and Hobbs asks Bobby (a little boy who befriended Hobbs) to pick out a new bat, and he chooses a bat that the two made together. The climax, while the action is too far out there, is a powerful scene. This is seen especially as Hobbs steps up to bat against a young pitcher. Here, you begin to see that the entire scene is symbolic. Hobbs is facing, almost literally, his past. He must overcome, and defeat his past, while achieving his boyhood dream of being a big shot baseball player. The Natural, due to its powerful scenes, such as Hobbs symbolically overcoming his past and achieving his dream and using a bat his young friend made to hit the game winning home run, is an emotional film.
This film deserves a view despite its shortcomings. It is, overall, a very enjoyable movie that should entertain a wide range of ages.