Annapolis Review
Posted by Chad Webb on 01.30.2006
Attractive performers cannot save this cliché.
James Franco: Jake Huard
Tyrese Gibson: Cole
Jordana Brewster: Ali
Donnie Wahlberg: Lt. Cmdr. Burton
Vicellous Reon Shannon: Twins
Roger Fan: Loo
Chi McBride: Coach McNally
Directed by Justin Lin
Release Date: January 27, 2006
Running Time: 1 hour and 38 minutes
Rated PG-13 for some violence, sexual content, and language.
In an interview about the film Annapolis, actor Tyrese Gibson stated that "people should go see Annapolis because it's a great film." After hearing this statement, it was quite apparent that Annapolis was nothing more than a paycheck for the performers. This film deserves low box office numbers and harsh treatment from critics if the actors cannot do a better job than that of convincing moviegoers to pay admission. He also said that the public has not seen military tension on this level before. Tyrese Gibson has all the skills to become an accomplished actor in my opinion, and he proved that with Four Brothers, but this comment caused me laugh and feel embarrassed for him at the same time. It might be my imagination, but I seem to recall military tension in Full Metal Jacket and countless other films. All joking aside, Annapolis is not a total loss, but entertaining enough to stay awake.
Jake Huard (James Franco) is a young amateur boxer, who dreams of acquiring a spot at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. Jake works as a shipbuilder with his father, and always looks across the river at the Academy in hopes that he will one day be accepted. Soon he is approached by Lieutenant Commander Burton (Donnie Wahlberg), who gives him the good news that his training will begin the next day. He soon discovers that boot camp is both physically and mentally challenging, and his superior officer Cole (Tyrese Gibson) is making his day-to-day training increasingly tough. However, another superior officer named Ali (Jordana Brewster) makes it a bit easier for him to get up in the morning. Jake continually questions whether or not he was destined to be a member of the school, due to his lack of progression for mental tasks. When the "Brigades" boxing tournament draws near, he thinks he has found a way to gain revenge on Cole, and reveal his strengths to everyone in the Academy.
This film prides itself on having all the attractive actors strut around so that the audience can be entranced by their looks, while ignoring the horrendous performances that they deliver. James Franco is currently in the stage that determines whether or not he has what it takes to be a genuine star in film. Unfortunately, his choice of scripts has prevented him from firmly establishing himself. Franco's middling display of disobedience, heart, and constant smirks does not make for an enjoyable time. Throughout the film, I found myself wondering what exactly the Jake Huard character wanted in life. It's obvious he wanted to be accepted into Annapolis, but that seems to be his only goal. In other words, the character development is non-existent.
The eye candy for the gentlemen viewers is Jordana Brewster, who is mostly known for her role in a more inferior film called The Fast and the Furious. Besides being a attractive and charming young woman, she exhibits none of the necessary qualities that her character of Ali requires. She is a superior officer, but one must wonder how she endured boot camp after looking at her petite stature. Since the portrayal of a military drill sergeant has been done time and time again, it is impossible to recognize Tyrese Gibson in this type of role. His over the top depiction of an intimidating and unrelenting officer who growls and flexes his muscles is not the ideal image of an instructor at the Annapolis Naval Academy.
I decided to watch An Officer and a Gentlemen the day before going to see this film, and I was anxiously set to attack and scrutinize the film for comparisons. Thankfully, no effort was needed to observe the similarities that materialized as if the director cut and pasted them from prior films. One can find a little bit of everything inside this predictable and formulaic plot. It starts off like An Officer and a Gentlemen and ends like a B-movie adaptation of Rocky. James Franco is even sporting a haircut like Richard Gere. One scene was almost completely stolen from 1992's School Ties. What makes this most frustrating is that their was no perceptible creative differences between this film and the superior films it emulates.
It is hard to fully come to grips with the fact that promising Director Justin Lin is behind this near catastrophe. After raising heads with 2002's award winning Better Luck Tomorrow, which he filmed at his own high school, he was expected to expose added potential with future releases. It will be difficult to expect much with The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift as his next project. On a side note, the atrocious dialogue that screenwriter David Collard presents makes George Lucas' scripts look like Shakespeare.
There is an age group that will love this movie. Those teenagers that are just now allowed to leave the house on their own will go to see this as one of their first film experiences apart from their parents, and probably say "Wow that was awesome!" In the background of the endless clichés was a pedestrian and uninspiring score that drained the film of any passion the actors may have expressed. The movie has little or no resemblance to actual boot camp, and one should detect these weaknesses when certain superior officers to Huard dismiss their military obligations to take a position as his boxing coach. Despite all of its shortcomings, Annapolis provides amusement and satisfaction in small doses, and the majority of that comes from Vicellous Reon Shannon as "Twins."
The 411: James Franco will have to rely on Spiderman 3 to gain any praise. I was not totally turned off by this film because it has portions of heart here and there. There is just so much that can picked at. Director Justin Lin should reevaluate what brought him to the dance before committing to any more films. If you can go see this for free it will be worth a laugh, but other than that, this is another week to stay away from the theater.
