What A Waste!

Rating: 4/10 (29 December 2005)

I was as angry after watching this film as I was after watching Spielberg's other big blunder,The Lost World.There is absolutely nothing in this movie to suggest that it has been made by arguably the greatest film director of all time (and someone who I hold in high esteem,regardless of this misfire).After the first half hour of spectacular pyrotechnics,the film completely runs out of steam.A lot of it is based indoors - in rooms,basements and cellars and whenever we do go outside,its just more of what we've already been served earlier.All characters are strictly cardboard and the running time is stretched at least a half hour too long.Knowing the production history of the film(it was greenlit in an emergency when Spielberg suddenly had nothing on his platter and Cruise had delayed filming MI:3 due to the non-availability of his first choice director J.J.Abrams),I guess one shouldn't really be surprised with the lack of content.Its just sad to see talent as mighty as this deliver a product of such mediocrity.