The Incredible Shrinking Dakota Fanning

Rating: 1/10 (24 August 2005)

GEORGE PAL was the filmmaker known for his 8 minute Puppettoons until he branched out into making three early science fiction classics: "When Worlds Collide" + "War of the worlds" + "The Time Machine". All three used very effective (meaning not-excessive) special effects while also telling their stories well. Hollywood doesn't do that anymore; no, they just think they can throw around some computer generated nonsense and remake the classics. It doesn't work. Spielberg made perhaps two good films, "Jaws" and "Raiders of the Lost ark." Since then, he produces one bummer after another. For a list of dreadful movies just do a Spielberg search on this website. Adding further insult to the moviegoer herein is the Incredible Shrinking Dakota Fanning. Everyone knows 12 year old Dakota rates equal billing be it alongside Robert De Nero in "Hide and Seek" or alongside Tom Cruise in this film. The original advertising and trailers for this film reflected equal billing between Cruise and Fanning, but then... Hmm! Dakota began shrinking. First her name was removed from above the title and relegated to the afterthoughts. Then the display ads have Dakota as a shadow-of-a-girl half hidden by Tom Curise. WHY? Perhaps because Spielberg is one of Hollywood's leading narrow minds. Mr. Spielberg does not tolerate non-liberals in any of his pictures, and God forbid --- oops, mustn't say God --- anybody working for Mr. S express a dissenting opinion on politics. Tom Hanks learned that lesson hard, and backed off his honor to retract his mild anti-Clinton public remark. Imagine young Dakota saying, ".. but I LIKE President Bush, he's a nice man, not a monster." POOF! Suddenly Dakota begins shrinking... POOF again, she's gone.