Cruise + Spielberg + Fanning = Amazing film

Rating: 9/10 (11 July 2005)

WOW. that's simply the best of explaining this movie, WOW. I watched this film with a bit of apprehension after reading other reviews but I honestly cannot understand why it's got the critical bashing it has done.
Spielbergs work with the camera is amazing from start to finish. As another review stated (Sorry I can't remember the reviewers name) the camera almost seems to be part of the action in so much that it appears to be 'afraid' of what is happening, throughout the film this makes you feel as if your actually there next to Ray and Rachel which scores big plus points in my book.
Cruise is absolute perfection in this role. For the first half of the film he is easily hatable for the way he is with his children but, as the film progresses, he manages to do something many actors seem to have trouble with when playing the bad father who comes good, He makes the transformation between 'idiot' to 'good dad' seem believable, it doesn't seem forced as it does in SSSOOOO many other films.
Fanning, Where do I start. If this girl can keep going the way she is then she will be one of, if not THE, best actresses in Hollywood in years to come. I've watched her grow as an actress since I first saw "I am Sam" and it's just remarkable. Pretty much any other young actress would have been more than annoying in this role, always asking for mom and always putting themselves in danger which they have to be bailed out of but Dakota manages to bring a charm to the role that, instead of hating Rachel, makes you sit and pray that she will be OK. She actually managed to bring a few tears out on my part (I'm man enough to admit it) in scenes such as when she is stuck in the car and she's crying for her brother and father and at the end.
Now for the one downside to the film. The section with Tim Robbins in just drags, it didn't help that it came directly after such elaborate action pieces such as the Boat, It's ashame really as it drags the entire movie down from being damn near perfection.
Overall this movie is absolutely brilliant and doesn't deserve the bad reviews it's been getting. I bow down to Cruise and Fanning for some of the best actors these eyes and ears have ever witnessed.