The Perfect Storm (2000)

No argument with the film's description: "Atlantic swells form 100-foot walls. Wind shrieks at a maxed-out Force 12. In October 1991 three raging weather fronts - one of them Hurricane Grace - combine to form the greatest storm in recorded history. George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg lead a talented cast in this harrowing special-effects adventure that intercuts the plight of seafarers struggling to reach safe harbor with the heroics of air/sea rescue crews. Directed by Wolfgang Petersen, 'The Perfect Storm' tosses excitement your way in waves."

There is an abundance of stormy special effects, but not enough character development. Mr. Wahlberg gets the best of the lackluster subplots, in romantic scenes with Diane Lane (as Christina Cotter). But, even this is lacking - where'd the black eye come from, anyway, rough sex? The intercutting of characters we know next-to-nothing about (in the other boats and helicopters) is sometimes confusing; and, however exciting, it make no sense because, obviously more time should have been spent showing the six main "Andrea Gail" seafarers.

***** The Perfect Storm (6/26/00) Wolfgang Petersen ~ George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Diane Lane

Fmovies: Heading into this film I did not expect the full on and intense experience that it delivered. I expected brilliant and seamless computer graphics, they were delivered. I expected a fairly personal story about the people involved, that was delivered. I expected some amazing sounds and sights, and I got them.

While I was watching this film, I couldn't help being aware of the fact that the people being tossed around the sea were, at least in part, real and that this movie was based on what they went through. But I also got more... I got to be in the storm and feel my heart quicken a little as the fishing vessel edges up impossibly large waves, and then crashes down to face another.

It is not a pretty film, it portrays very well the harsh environment in which it is set. It is a 'real' film, that doesn't seem to pull any punches.

The photography is excellent and really draws you in, it is fluid and makes you feel close to the action. The acting is very good, it really connects you with the crew of the Andrea Gail and those around them. The computer animation is what you would expect it to be - almost seamless - it delivers huge waves and powerful storm cells.

This is one of the best films I have seen in a long time, and truly removes you from your reality and into the storm.

Active, exciting, moving...depressing. I have so many mixed emotions about this movie due to realising that more or less everything we see is true. George Clooney perfectly captures the busy, yet quite lonely man, that was Billy Tyne. Mark Whalberg, who supported Clooney in 'Three Kings', also gives an excellent performance as Bobby Shatford. The movie, on a whole, succeeds where a lot of films this year have - it's gripping. The whole scenario of the storm, the crew, the boat and the relationships are so scarily captivating it's unreal. However, if you don't know the ending or what goes on in the film, i won't say anything, but be warned! This film has scarred my mind. The performances from all actors are so good, i was depressed for about 3 days afterwards! That is the only weakness however. It's a great film a really worth watching. I would also recommend the book to anyone who hasn't read it - A bloody good read, although even that has it's depressing moments. 8/10 - worth purchasing because it could effectively become a classic.

The Perfect Storm fmovies. It was slow at first, but the second time I saw it, it meant more to me because I knew what was going to happen to the characters. My fiance and son went to see it with me, and they kept asking me if I was ok, because I was crying like a baby. You dont get much character background, but once the boys get out to sea, you feel as you get to know them better. You can tell Billy Tyne truly loved being on the sea. It was his home. George Clooney did a phenominal job portraying this character. The rest of the cast put some great emotions into their parts. Mark Wahlberg, formerly Marky-mark, has grown up into a wonderfully talented actor. You really get the feeling that this was a close knit fishing town, and you feel like you are a part of that town.

Give this movie a shot, you may find you like it, despite what the critics say. They dont usually know dick anyway.. =D

Based on a true story, and dedicated to ten thousand Gloucestermen lost at sea since 1623, `The Perfect Storm' is a powerful movie that will take you places to which you've never been before. Director Wolfgang Peterson has deftly crafted an intense rendering of the story of the Andrea Gail, a swordfishing boat captained by Billy Tyne that left Gloucester, Massachusetts, in the fall of 1991, and soon encountered the storm of the century. After a less than profitable trip out, Captain Tyne (George Clooney) sets out again in October, with a crew of five men, and heads for deep water and a place know as the `Flemish Cap.' It's a dangerous trek for that time of year, but he assures his men that the catch will be worth the risk. What he could not foresee, however (nor could any meteorologist), was that three major storms would converge to form a single storm, the likes of which comes along only once in every one hundred years or so. Fate steps in further when, after their catch is made, their ice making machine burns out, leaving them without the means of packing and preserving the fish. They have no choice but to go back in, directly through the storm, lest the fish spoil, in which case all of their work, and the risks taken, would be for naught. Tyne lets the crew decide; do they turn away and wait out the storm, losing everything, or do they prove that they're `Gloucestermen,' and try to make it back. What Peterson did with this film, the way he tells the story, can be likened to what Melville did with the novel, `Moby Dick;' as it moves along, he fleshes out the characters and subtly provides an intimate portrait of what this kind of life is all about. He pays such meticulous attention to details, that by the time you're in the middle of the storm, the impact is extraordinary; you know what this boat is and how it works, you've smelled the fish and the sweat and the sea, and worked alongside the crew. You know these people and what's at stake here. You know the feel of the fishing lines and the grappling hooks, felt that rush of adrenaline that comes when you hook a big one, or when a huge wave washes over the deck. He gives you so much in this film, puts you in it so completely, that it primes your senses for whatever's to come. Combine all of this with the best special effects imaginable, outstanding performances, and a terrific score by John Horner, and you're in for the thrill of a lifetime. The charismatic Clooney is exemplary here as Tyne; he knows him from the inside out, which enables him to convey a real sense of who this man is. And it shows in the way he carries himself, the way he walks and talks, right down to the look in his eye. He's tough without any unwarranted theatrics or bravura, is self-assured, but aware of his own shortcomings, as well. It's a commanding performance with nuance and depth; It's all there, and Clooney makes it real. Mark Wahlberg, also, is outstanding as Bobby Shatford, the rookie fisherman who can't stand to be more than two feet away from the woman he loves, Christina (Diane Lane). Lane gives a notable performance here, too, as does John C. Reilly, who does an emotional turn as `Murph,' the veteran fisherman with a young son he loves, and who lives with the remorse of past mistakes that cost him his wife. Rounding out the exceptional supporting cast are William Fichtner (Sully), Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (Linda), Allen Payne (Alfred), John Hawkes (Bugsy) and Michael Ironside (Bobby Brown). There are thrills

The Perfect Storm: Billy Tyne is a swordboat captain who's hit a patch of bad luck - while his colleagues have returned to port nearly bursting at the seams with fish, his hold is nearly empty. Convinced that it is his turn to score the big haul, Tyne convinces his crew to go on one last run before the end of the season and heads for the North Atlantic. He never figured Mother Nature into his plans.

I remember reading about the Andrea Gail soon after "The Storm of the Century" hit the eastern seaboard. It was only a matter of time before someone tried to bring this story to the big screen. Thankfully, it was Wolfgang Petersen who did so - here he does for fishing what he did for submarine warfare in "Das Boot" - puts the viewer in the midst of the action and scares the hell out of them.

I can say without exaggeration that I have never experienced a movie as stressful as this one (the friend I brought to the premiere was literally ill). The movie starts out slowly and deliberately, gradually setting the stage for what is about to come. Petersen utilizes several subplots to build the suspense: initially he focuses on the disappointment of the crew as they repeatedly fail to hit the motherlode. Masterfully intercut with this are scenes documenting an idyllic sailing trip that turns ugly, and the Coast Guard attempts to rescue them. Consequently, the tension, like the storm, continues to build to a crescendo, and never wanes. The movie also feels real.

I have been in twenty-foot seas once in my life, and that was more than enough for me (it was one of the few times I ever contemplated my own mortality). Watching this movie brought it all back: the waves looked so real that it is often difficult to differentiate between the CGI and the real thing. Also, I could feel the waves as they pounded relentlessly against the boat (the theatre I saw this in had a great sound system) and was deafened by the shrieking wind. The experience, is, for lack of a better word, ferocious - I kept everything to disintegrate in the onslaught. However, special effects alone do not adequately convey the appropriate sense of danger.

Many of the water scenes were actually shot in heavy seas - they managed to film in the tail end of a hurricane - adding to the realism (several members of the crew were regularly feeding the fish...). The actors faced additional dangers - Mark Wahlberg came perilously close to drowning, not once but twice, and was injured by one of the animatronic creatures. Anyone expecting Clooney or Wahlberg to be glamorous will be sorely disappointed - they are earthy, and scraggly. But more importantly, their performances ring true. Indeed, all of the main characters deliver subtle, believable performances.

I have never given a strong endorsement with an equally strong caveat - you must see this movie, but only if you can handle stress. And yes I am serious on both counts.