I'm REALLY sorry ... (spoiler - to explain)

Rating: 3/10 (19 July 2005)

I'm really sorry but the film just doesn't work.
Please do not read any further if you are a fervent Cruise fan.
####### Don't read this .. it may be a spoiler for you #######
What I didn't predict was that the guy walks up to about 50ft from the house, and everyone comes out to greet him, and he stops in the street, just standing there, all cool like, in the rain (ISTR) and no-one goes to ask it he's OK, or needs a glass of water or even something to eat, after all he's been through.
####### Spoiler end ... if it IS a spoiler ########
It's a cinematic device for making someone look tough and cool. It fails because Tom Cruise cannot ever look tough or cool. If he ever attacked me, I wouldn't be reaching for a knife or a gun or anything, I'd be looking for a fly-swat. A soft one would do.
The character of the son was completely screwed up. In the beginning, you've got the whole father/son antagonism thing going on, but there's no real redemption, no changes of attitudes or anything. Just a nice hug and sooty smuts.
And the wife's new plaything isn't given anything to do, either. In fact, neither is the wife.
In fact, even going by Hollywood conventions, it's a very poor film. Normally, if you introduce a major character, you expect them to play a role. It seems as if they forgot this time.
In good films, it's okay for a character to drift out of the narrative, but that's usually for some reason. In this case, there's no reason at all.
I don't think I'll be buying the DVD and I think there won't be much illegal downloading either.
Sorry.