Interesting Copy

Rating: 7/10 (21 December 2001)

I have no problem with remakes like Ocean's Eleven as they update old ideas. It is a little harder to accept Hollywood remakes of recent, successful foreign movies. The original is Abre los Ojos, which was made in 1997. What Hollywood does in these cases is a common phenomenon, popularly referred to as theft. That aside, let's concentrate on the movie as it turned out.
Many confusing films have popped up after The Sixth Sense. This is certainly one of them and I have heard many complaints that people left the theatres puzzled. This should, however, not be necessary as I think the plot is very well explained in the end. I even feel a little too much may have been explained, but it is still of the more intelligent sorts of movies. It is highly entertaining and Crowe is a master of portraying warmth and he shows this particularly well in the ending. The problem with the film is that it is originally a Spanish movie. Latino countries often embrace the incredible and the mystical in their movies, and it somehow works better when they make these movies. Here, it feels sort of weird.
Cruise has long ago become a mature and excellent actor. His character in Vanilla Sky is almost as written by Bret Easton Ellis. Pay particular attention to when he is introduced to his new mask by the medical team. The flaw, if I can call it that, with his character is his choice of women. I am skeptical to any person who would choose Penélope Cruz over Cameron Diaz, although that is what Cruise did in real life. Choosing her over Nicole Kidman is not much better though. ;-) Also, Jason Lee and Kurt Russell make good impressions.
This is a high adrenaline movie with excellent music, and if you aren't tired of the Sixth Sense effect yet, this is not a bad bet.

PS! The introductory scene with Tom Cruise in a completely empty Times Square is not only impressive, it is also quite real.
Rating: 7/10