If one more user implies that I just 'don't get' this movie...

Rating: 1/10 (14 January 2002)

Let's get one thing straight here; this film was made for Tom Cruise's ego. They spent a lot of money on it, pulled in an acclaimed director, and even photocopied an English translation of a previously acclaimed film's script. It couldn't fail could it?
Well it did. There are NO brilliant social observations in this movie, the whole life extension thing was NOT a vehicle for the people behind this film to display some sort of deeper meaning or commentary about society (it was just a failed plot device), and all it managed to do was lower Cruise and Crowe's standing in the eyes of many critics, both professional and amateur, all over the world.
Cruise has shown many times that he can act, for examples just see 'Born on the Fourth of July' or 'Magnolia' and Crowe can most certainly piece together a worthwhile film, i.e. 'Almost Famous,' but both should walk off with their tails between their legs after this one.
The 'suprise' ending, which some have even compared to the one in 'the Sixth Sense,' is just a ridiculous. The ending in M. Night Shyamalan's film was signposted throughout the film and relied on clever camera work, scripting, and editing to hide the secret. It was done in a clever fashion and all fitted in quite neatly. THIS film just added a completely contrived and stupid ending without giving any sort of hint as to what might happen earlier (unless you count the constant references to that snap frozen dog). You could put the exact same ending on a film about the life of Martin Luther King and it would fit just as well as it does in this one.
Now you may have noticed that it's the ending that I am complaining about in particular. In all honesty, the first hour or so of the film is an effective scene setter. Yes, Cruise only shows one emotion before the accident and another vaguely modified one afterwards, but Cameron Diaz and Kurt Russell offer impressive performances and it often feels as though Vanilla Sky is just on the verge of blowing your mind and becoming film of the year. Then comes the ending.
Yes, a few good performances and a good first hour might seem to be justification for giving the film some credit (at least more than I'm about to give it) but that only adds insult to injury when the aforementioned STUPID second half kicks in. Don't worry if you didn't like this film while others you know loved it and claim that any smart person would like it; you are right. They have just been caught up in the pretentiousness that this film carries with it from start to finish. The fact the IMDB users have given this drivel such a high score just proves the phrase 'there's no accounting for taste.'
3/10 Tops. Maybe less, but Diaz and Russell and the impressive start give it SOME credence.