cathrihn

So many movies have no meaning, no moral, nothing. Most of the time, these type of movies make me uncomfortable, even angry. Nearly all of the time, these mindless movies have an equally mindless plot. (I got up and left LONG before the Mummy Returns was over). AntiTrust is a different story...kind of. True, the ethics in this movie are sketchy and at some points cease to exist...then magically appear again. (WHAT were they fighting for again?) This annoys me quite a bit. However, AntiTrust's compelling plot make up for its obvious gaffes. This powerful plot line surprised even a jaded critic like myself...I was caught off guard several times, AND on the edge of my seat.

In the end of the movie, the odd ethics and compelling plot collide...and it's an anticlimax....where the suspense and revelation SHOULD HAVE been in the plot, there's merely a quick exchange of dialogue. The plot, although good, climaxes at all the wrong times. Don't get me wrong; I LIKED AntiTrust very much, Ryan Phillipe and Claire Forlani are both decent actors, but this film is far from a classic. So forget the sketchy ethics, sit back and enjoy this entertaining movie. AntiTrust actually HAS a storyline...unlike so many movies today.

I honestly fail to see what all the hype for this movie is ABOUT. Its rave reviews and constant chattering of my peers had me convinced that this would be a decent movie. I was sadly disappointed.

First of all, I WILL admit that the special effects are tremendous...some of the best I've ever seen. However, the immense effects suffocate what little plot there is. Action scenes unimportant to the plot that drag on FOREVER, characters switching accents, and (most disturbingly) several cultural errors. For example: Reincarnation is a major underlying theme in this movie. Anyone with only a minor knowledge of the culture KNOWS that the concept of reincarnation DID NOT EXIST AT ALL in Ancient Egyptian society. I'm sure there were many other errors of this sort, but I wouldn't know. I'm not majoring in Egyptology.

With its tremendous effects that overshadow its feeble plot, shaky characters, and cultural faux pas, I would not recommend The Mummy Returns to anyone over the age of 12.

My French teacher FORCED our class to watch this movie. There was collective groaning, whining, complaining, etc. I must admit, I was among the unhappy students. However, within the first 20 minutes, the movie had my full attention. I found the dialogue flawless, the characters captivating, and the plot truly intriguing, and in the final moment very sad. The acting is INCREDIBLE, any American movie with as many child characters would fail miserably.

Anyone watching this movie should NOT be discouraged by the first few minutes. This movie weaves an intricate tale of the horrors of World War II as told from the viewpoint of a boy's boarding school in France. An interesting subject indeed.

I think I have to thank my french teacher for "forcing" us to watch this. "Au revoir les enfants" has piqued my interest in french films, and truly made me realize that not every good movie is American. A must see.