Stealth (2005)

I did not go into this movie with high expectations (my husband received free tickets to an advance screening). However, I was pleasantly surprised! I disagree with another reviewer - I thought the first 15 minutes were oddly paced and filmed poorly (the camera is shaking as we look in on the office of a politician initially).

However, the film picks up from there with solid, well-developed characters, especially Jamie Foxx playing the role of a smart pilot who expresses the moral quandaries of his work at one point and Jessica Biel as a strong female pilot (both physically and psychologically). The audience enjoyed the movie as you could tell from their laughter at Jamie's quips.

While the plot is a bit predictable, it truly is an enjoyable ride. Best of all, my husband is an aerospace engineer and he was impressed with the overall accuracy of the film "for a Hollywood movie." I've had to listen to him (and his co-workers) complain about other movies, but they enjoyed it too - so we give it a thumbs up in you're in the mood for an exciting action movie - or love planes - with just a touch of romance (innuendo only, nothing graphic).

Fmovies: If you are in need for a good dose of action, this is the film for you. By the end, you've had your "fix." Being someone who is fascinated by the Stealth bomber, I enjoyed most of the action. Only the last 15 minutes was irritating in its stupid action, not that the previous hour- plus was believable. At least it wasn't as ridiculous as those final scenes with Josh Lucas defeating 10-15 guys at once and Jessica Biel doing likewise. Lucas performs his "Kill Bill Vol. 1" routine at a warehouse while Biels is in the wilds of North Korea. In future viewings, I stop the movie before those parts.

The main story - human pilots flying Stealth bombers trying to stop a pilot-less, state-of-the- art totally computerized-driven Stealth which has gone wacky - is fun to watch. The latter is obviously very reminiscent of the computer "Hal" in the famous sci-fi film "2001: A Space Odyssey." There are more than just a few coincidences here as the computer reads lips of the people, has a mind of its own, etc. The big difference is that this updated-Hal has a heart, too. Yeah, it's really far-fetched.

However, if you can put your brain on hold for two hours and just enjoy some wild action shots, you'll enjoy this film. It's basically a fun ride.

Stealth is devoid of higher thinking (or maybe any thinking at all). However it has couple of good things going for it:

1. Special effects are well-used. the planes and missiles and explosions rock. the dog fights do not rely on editing but are given a good effort.

2. Yes the premise is dumb - we assume correctly it would not be supported by thoughtful investigation into the mechanics behind the artificial pilot. However, the movie recognizes this fact and does not pretend to have given the matter much thought. It is straight and honest, though still mindless. But hey, that's alright sometimes.

3. The story is simple, but not linear - and that counts for a lot in a movie of this type, because it is unexpected and not required. Stealth has moments where it feels like an epic, albeit a mind-free one.

4. Have you noticed that it's often better to imply a romantic sentiment between the main characters rather than slamming it in your face, especially in an action movie which has precious little time to develop the relationship to begin with? You haven't? Uh that's not good... Anyway, Stealth doesn't kid us with a hasty obligatory romance but gives its characters some room to maneuver between inter-pilot and inter-personal relationships. What was the last summer popcorn movie you can remember that similarly uh, respected our intelligence? I am giving Stealth a lot of credit here. Let's just say if it insulted my intelligence, I was happy to let it slide this time because I was having a good time.

5. Ultimately Stealth is entertaining from beginning to end. It "respects" our intelligence by not appearing to be smarter than dumb. Stupid is less stupid when it doesn't pretend.

I hope you give this movie a chance, and notice how it differs in the formula and execution from what you may have anticipated and from other mindless summer blockbusters.

Thanks.

Stealth fmovies. 'Short Circuit' meets 'Top Gun' in Rob Cohen's CGI-packed action-fest Stealth, in which a trio of ridiculously attractive elite US fighter pilots (Josh Lucas, Jamie Foxx and Jessica Biel) must do battle with the latest in aeronautical warfare technology—an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV), flown by a computer called EDI, which goes haywire after it is struck by lightning.

Tearing out of the stratosphere at Mach Impossible to blast the crap out of anything that looks even the slightest bit foreign, the hi-tech aircraft in this film are about as stealthy as a herd of stampeding fluorescent pink elephants blowing vuvuzelas; they sure are cool looking though, and provide action fans with plenty of moments of spectacular mid-air madness, Cohen's virtual camera whipping in and around the state-of-the-art aircraft with as much speed and agility as the planes themselves.

Anyone looking for realism need not apply (the film's corny plot is about as believable as an email from a Nigerian businessman), but with endless huge explosions, a psychotic A.I. jet plane, Foxx ploughing into the side of a mountain, and gorgeous Jessica Biel in a bikini, those after some slam-bang, big-budget popcorn trash to give the old brain cells a rest could do a lot worse than Stealth.

6.5 out 10, rounded up to 7 for IMDb.