IMDb user comments for The Aviator (2004)
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282 comments in total
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159 out of 206 people found the following comment useful :-
Falling Short of Greatness...Again, 21 December 2004
Author:
Rathko from Los Angeles
Scorsese has such an encyclopedic knowledge and understanding of cinema
that every shot, however inventive and daring, is effortlessly
composed. The direction, editing and cinematography are all the
first-rate work by individuals who are clearly masters of their
profession and the production design, costumes and makeup are the best
you'll see all year. Their efforts combine to create a world of rich
and lavish color, of excitement and glamour. Who wouldn't want to visit
THIS Cotton Club in 1935? It's hard to imagine who could trump the
technical team for Oscars this year.
With such a perfectly realized world in which to perform, the actors
universally do an outstanding job. Despite the criticism of the
hardcore DiCaprio-haters, the unprejudiced will observe an excellent
performance that takes genuine risks and convincingly conveys the
passing of more than twenty years. Importantly, DiCaprio more than
holds his own when paired with Cate Blanchett and especially Alan Alda,
who both give equally note worthy performances. Blanchett's
interpretation of Katherine Hepburn seems spot on, and anyone familiar
with the late actresses mannerisms will appreciate the hard work that
clearly went into the recreation. Alda, one of the most consistently
underrated actors around, delivers another masterclass in restrained
character building as he oozes ambition and political dishonesty from
every pore.
And yet, despite the obvious talent of all those involved and
Scorsese's ability to effortlessly fill three hours, something about
The Aviator fails to completely satisfy. Without wanting to sound like
a film student, movies should, ultimately, be ABOUT something; love,
honor, courage, redemption, the BIG ideas and themes that are the fuel
of the plot. What was the drive of The Aviator? A rich guy recklessly
spends lots of money to indulge his personal obsessions and gets away
with it. We're never told how his experiences change him, and without
change there's no journey. Considering the screenplay was written by
John Logan, who usually displays a keen interest in showing the
emotional evolution of his characters, the oversight is inexplicable.
Ultimately then, much like Gangs of New York, The Aviator is simply the
sum of it's parts, and however brilliantly those parts are realized,
there doesn't seem to be a bigger theme to underpin and drive them.
The Aviator is a perfectly realized recreation of the era and one well
worth experiencing. But the lack of a real emotional journey suggests
'all gloss and no substance', and ultimately prevents the movie from
being truly great.
136 out of 205 people found the following comment useful :-
A GREAT American TRAGEDY, 17 December 2004
Author:
Mister1045 from Los Angeles, CA
This is an astonishingly beautiful and moving film. Martin Scorcese has
created a seminal work -- one that brings the harrowing, big-studio,
adult movie making of the 1970's and totally reinvents and
reinvigorates it for today's audience.
The story traces the rise and demise of billionaire Howard Hughes as he
struggles to find meaning and purpose in a life unfettered by concerns
of money, talent or opportunity. Whether trying to get a plane off the
ground or a young starlet into bed, Hughes attacks life with a fierce
gusto -- plagued and prodded by obsessive compulsive germphobia that
constantly threatens to consume and defeat him.
DiCaprio is amazing! It's the performance no one thought he was capable
of. It is a dynamic, smart, funny, articulate, intense, mature and
ultimately harrowing performance that relaunches his career as one of
American's finest actors. At the end of the film, you just want to take
him in your arms and sob. It's really that good.
Cate Blanchett is incredible as Katherine Hepburn. At first, I was a
little thrown by how bravely she attacked the Hepburn trademark voice,
but I was completely won over by the second line. It is a tender,
funny, incredibly convincing star turn that supplies the heart for the
first half of the film. The scene where she takes Howard home "for
dinner" with the family is a classic! Kate Beckinsale does a
surprisingly fine job with Eva Gardner -- conveying the slow burning
passion of this Hollywood icon without ever lapsing into mere mimicry.
But, in the end, this isn't a love story -- it's a war story -- a war
between Howard's unstoppable will and his fierce inner demons battling
for Howard's soul. It is the major relationship in the movie and the
true heart of the film -- one that fuels his eccentric genius and yet
constantly threatens to rip his life apart. He tries to ignore it by
sleeping with every beauty in town. He tries to outrun it, building
faster and faster airplanes. Yet, it is his one constant companion from
early childhood to his ultimate, inescapable end. And it is this
relationship that leaves you devastated at the end of the film.
Brilliant!
99 out of 167 people found the following comment useful :-
Ambitious, Impeccably-Acted, DELIVERS, 6 December 2004
Author:
gmorgan-4 from New York, New York
Martin Scorsese's most recent ambitious project does not disappoint.
I just saw this film in a special preview for NYU film students, with
Martin Scorsese there to discuss and answer questions after, and I must
say, it was pretty phenomenal. It is Martin Scorsese's best work since
Goodfellas (this is obvious) and most probably his best work since
Raging Bull. DiCaprio's character study of Howard Hughes, and his
devotion to this role, is exquisite and reminiscent even of Robert De
Niro's in Raging Bull. The film is lengthy, but this compliments it,
for the story is riveting and the production is practically flawless
(even the combination of computerized processes and more traditional
photography was smooth and effective).
The presentation of the film, in an evolving color (from two-tone
Technicolor, as Martin explained it to us, to three-tone, to modern by
the later sequences) is absolutely stunning, and the cinematography by
renowned Robert Richardson, ASC, is some of the best I've seen (and, in
my opinion, deserving of an Oscar).
Cate Blanchett was impeccable as Katharine Hepburn, though, at times, I
felt that the complexity of her character was never really deeper than
a surface analysis.
She did her role flawlessly, but this is not to say that it really Alec
Baldwin portrayed one of the flattest villains I've seen in a major
motion picture, but, again, this is about Howard Hughes, and DiCaprio's
performance is worthy of an Oscar nod at least, and perhaps an Oscar
Win (certainly the best performance I've seen all year).
One of my few complaints, though, is the lengthy sequences featuring
Howard Hughes as a solo aviator. Though interesting, entertaining even,
the film was long enough already, and did not require such an
exhaustive analysis of individual flight procedures.
Also, it seems that some of the themes were almost too redundant, such
as the ways in which Hughes' psychological problems were performed.
Much of the Hollywood history is good, even interesting, but it also
sometimes seemed a bit self-indulgent, to the point where you
questioned the necessity of ALL of those nightclub sequences in the
film.
But, besides those relatively few complaints, it is a spectacular film.
In all: do not miss it.
3.5/4
44 out of 65 people found the following comment useful :-
Like the Platte River ...Too long...Too Shallow, 3 January 2005
Author:
brusso from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
 The Aviator is about aviation innovator Howard Hughes. It is
about womanizer Howard Hughes. It is about psychopath Howard Hughes.
Any one of these would have made an interesting film. Altogether they
resulted in a shallow portrayal over too long a period of time to
retain my interest. In short, I was bored.
Let's look at the love affairs. The bit about Jean Harlow was so
minuscule it could easily have been cut with no harm to the biography.
The same could be said about the scenes with Faith Domergue. The Ava
Gardner story could have been interesting, but it was too fragmented to
be of interest. Only the Kate Hepburn story was truly compelling,
mostly because of the exceptional performance of Cate Blanchett. Still,
even this episode which could have been developed into a two-hour
story left me wanting.
Then, there's the psycho-pathological element. Who was his mother and
why did she treat him like she did? We don't know. Was this a sexually
abusive relationship? The opening bath scene leaned in that direction,
but we don't know. If Hughes was so horrendously phobic, why did the
phobia take so long to emerge and wreck his life? We don't know. It's a
shame the writer and director did not reveal the answers to these
questions. Perhaps no one knows the answers; we just know he was
psychopathic.
Finally, let's talk about aviation. I love airplanes. I could relate to
Hughes' passion. I could thrill with his gallivanting around the skies
racing, filming, testing, wooing Hepburn. I didn't even mind the fact
that nothing in the air was real just computer generated images. I
wanted to stand by his side when he faced off with greedy Juan Trippe
and sleazy Senator Owen Brewster. I wanted to fight with him and fight
for him. But even this was shallowly presented. The evidence is readily
apparent: major characters, identified by labels as if this were a
documentary, enter the story without the viewer being prepared for who
they are, why they are there, and why we should care about them. I just
couldn't get hooked. I didn't care.
Interesting note: when I was first out of college, I worked as a
technical writer with a man who was nearly at the end of his career. He
had been with Hughes Aircraft and had the dubious honor, along with
three or four others, of pulling Hughes from one of his many plane
crashes. My fellow employee told tales of Hughes and of the rescue for
which Howard ensured him of employment for as long as he wanted to stay
on.
Sadly, The Aviator added nothing to my knowledge of Howard Hughes and,
although it had great potential to tell a fabulous story about one of
aviation's most celebrated innovators, it failed.
48 out of 75 people found the following comment useful :-
The Katharine Hepburn Show., 26 December 2004
Author:
Admiral_Forrest from Charlottetown, Canada
Before Howard Hughes was a recluse so reclusive as to out-Salinger J.D.
Salinger, he was a big time stud, who made big movies, flew fast
planes, and courted gorgeous ladies; so say Martin Scorsese and John
Logan, architects of this latest Hollywood biopic.' Leonardo DiCaprio
continues his trend of turning in great performances with great
directors, playing Howard Hughes between 1927 and 1947, the years where
Hughes conquered the worlds of film and aviation, making room for
romance with Katharine Hepburn (Cate Blanchett) and Ava Gardner (Kate
Beckinsale). In later years, Hughes's mental problems would become
legendary; at this stage in the game, he suffers only from pronounced
germ phobia and mild obsessive-compulsive disorder. This is all
expertly depicted by Scorsese, Logan, and DiCaprio. Stealing all her
scenes is Cate Blanchett, who should start making room on her mantle
for her Best Supporting Actress Oscar. It couldn't have been easy to
play an iconic movie star like Katharine Hepburn, but Blanchett aces
it. Kate Beckinsale, Kelli Garner (Faith Demorgue), and Gwen Stefani
(Jean Harlow) are the other women in Howard's life, although none are
as clearly defined as Blanchett/Hepburn. The villains of the piece are
Alec Baldwin and Alan Alda, playing, respectively, Pan-American Airways
CEO Juan Trippe and Trippe's bought-and-paid-for politician, Senator
Ralph Owen Brewster. Both excel, with Alda coming off as both slimy and
goofy at the same time. Alec Baldwin, like Cate Blanchett, steals every
scene he has, playing Trippe as a delightfully suave villain. In his
final scene he delivers a wonderful monologue on the future of Hughes's
Trans-World Airline, and caps it off with the most hysterical use of
the F word in many years. Also appearing: the dependable John C. Reilly
as Hughes's business manager Noah Dietrich; Jude Law, who apparently
can't go two weeks without seeing himself in a different movie, as
movie legend Errol Flynn; Brent Spiner (yay!) as airplane executive
Robert Gross; and Willem Dafoe as a photographer. "The Aviator" is
overlong, and drags in places, but it is a great movie. I rate it a
9/10.
22 out of 25 people found the following comment useful :-
A pointless movie that dragged on..., 2 January 2005
Author:
katie-35 from New Orleans, LA
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
I can never see Leonardo DiCaprio as a man. He will always look like a
scrawny, little guy. He just does not come across as an adult in this
film any more than he did in Titanic. Young girls like him, which is
why Titanic made so much money since all those young girls went to see
him over and over. I wonder if it will happen here. Leo, please keep
your clothes on. It only makes you look more like a kid. The
cinematography is wonderful and very controlled as the film progresses.
The Howard Hughes character is not delved into enough in order for the
viewer to see the mental breakdown of a very eccentric man. Three hours
and his disturbing actions did not seem credible. He is crazed and
living behind locked doors. Then he is cleaned up and very lucid before
all the flash bulbs at the Senate hearings. For someone who was in such
poor emotional condition, it was difficult to buy the transformation.
Cate Blanchette was wonderful as Hepburn. She nailed that role with her
own twist to it. As an Aussie playing the varied roles she has chosen,
she always seems to rise to each. I hope one day she will be recognized
for her great talent. Ian Holmes is always good and made a wonderful
professor. Kate Bechinsale did a fine piece tender, yet tough, acting
the part of Ava Gardner. She didn't mimic the iconic late star, but
took on the role in her own tempered manner. Scorcese is a wonderful
filmmaker whom I greatly admire. However, this attempt at a very long
film led nowhere. I kept wanting the film to give me more depth of the
Hughes character and felt squirmy in my seat. Possibly the miscasting
of DiCaprio was part of the problem, but the back story and the slow
progression into mental illness needed to be explored more deeply.
Again, I can't say enough about the cinematography. I do hope that
brings in an Oscar.
54 out of 89 people found the following comment useful :-
Gorgeous but emotionally empty, 26 December 2004
Author:
tadeo38 from Omaha NE
A curious film in so many ways; it is a truly gorgeous film, great
cinematography and editing to keep it as tight as possible but there is
something missing at his very heart! It will obviously win Oscars, this
is just the niche that the Academy voters are looking for, and I'll bet
that it makes a pretty penny....but it sort of reminds me of "The Last
Emperor" which I have never felt deserved a "Best Picture" Oscar in
that there is minimal involvement asked of the viewer and a feeling of
Who cares??? I disagree that it is a "must-see" depending on how much
time and energy is available to you, the viewer. I found the other
major's of 2004 to be much more involving, particularly "Finding
Neverland", Spanglish, Sideways and Closer. As James Berardinelli
reports, Scorcese would seem to have lost something since
"Goodfellows".
47 out of 77 people found the following comment useful :-
Disappointing, 25 December 2004
Author:
mem_ory
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
The Aviator like the Spruce Goose itself only takes flight briefly and
is an overall disappointment. The thrills to be had are in the flight
sequences. However they are done digitally and in the editor's suite.
Scorsese's hand is rather flat on the throttle and the script plays too
broadly. You get the feeling that Scorsese himself is not quite in love
with his subject, Howard Hughes. The scenes that should work such as
Hughes caressing the rivets of a plane are seen through a cynical eye.
DiCaprio portray's Hughes as a nut and sociopath. Maybe he was in real
life but it's as if they want you to not like this guy. Not exactly the
right approach to making an audience friendly picture. We also have a
poor sense of continuity. After suffering massive wounds from a plane
crash, Howard Hughes heals up amazingly well and quickly. Totally
glanced over is the fact that he became addicted to morphine after this
event. If 75% of your body is burned and your heart has been dislocated
to the other side of your chest cavity I think you're going to care
more about killing the pain instead of washing your hands.
I can't help but think that James Cameron would of been a more apt
choice to make this film. I believe his sensibilities are more in line
with Howard Hughes. He would of portrayed Hughes as more of a Ayn Rand
type character than a tragically flawed anti-hero.
25 out of 38 people found the following comment useful :-
Seemed like a TV movie re-hash, 9 January 2005
Author:
yessdanc from NORTHRIDGE, CA.
For all the 'Oscar buzz' one hears about this film, I came away rather
disappointed. Why? 1. DiCaprio is a fine actor, granted. He does NOT
possess the physical intensity that Hughes had, not to mention almost
being the physical opposite. It'd be like Steve Martin playing James
Dean. It's just WRONG. 2. For all the accolades Blanchett gets as
Hepburn, she's somewhat of a caricature. Her accent was too over the
top. What, did Scorcese think we wouldn't know who she was supposed to
be? 3.I think an unknown as Hughes would have been a better idea, but
then it might not have gotten the big box office receipts we're hearing
about. And that's what's really at the bottom of this. I'll take the
Tommy Lee Jones TV version any day!
43 out of 75 people found the following comment useful :-
A bitter disappointment, 27 December 2004
Author:
eye3
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
I loved it for the acting, especially Cate Blanchett (qv) as Katherine
Hepburn (qv), but otherwise I was left wondering if it was ever going
to develop a story line on his personal life. There's absolutely no
mention that Hughes gave Hepburn the money to buy the movie rights to
the Broadway hit "The Philadelphia Story," which turned her career
around for good. Blanchett may well be the first actor or actress to
win an Oscar for playing another Oscar winner, and would well deserve
it.
Kate Beckinsale (qv) as Ava Gardner (qv) is as radiant as the real
thing but if this part of Hughes' life wasn't in the movie as written I
would never have missed it.
Leonardo DiCaprio (qv) fills the screen like he always does, but not
even his star quality and his talent don't make up for the movies
meanderings from the plot. His gives and takes with Alan Alda (qv) as
Senator Harry Reid are well enough, but it's like watching a rehearsal
instead of a finished product. Alec Baldwin (qv) as Juan Trippe, the
boss at Pan AM, seems to be grateful to phone in his character from
GlenGarry Glen Ross (1992) _(qv)_.
The airplane scenes, whether flying, building or even just talking
technicals, held me in place. In fact, these were the only scenes which
did. A movie shouldn't let me wander. This one did, and I hold Martin
Scorsese (qv) responsible. He should listen to his film editors much
more as well as his writers.
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