3 July 2001

No shortage of opinion here! 

Paul writes “I write movie reviews for a web site, and I ripped apart Tomb Raider and The Fast and the Furious. Immediately I received angry e-mails from people who love both movies. The one thing that all of them say is that I don't know how to enjoy a brainless summer movie for what it is. So I started to think about Bruckheimer movies and what constitutes a good, brainless summer movie, or just a good brainless movie in general. And there is no doubt in my mind that there are great brainless movies and awful brainless movies. And I love a good one just as much as anyone. For me, good ones are Point Break and Face/Off, to name a couple. They are stylish and well-directed and imaginative. There is an attempt, no matter how small, to develop character. And above all they are incredibly fun movies. Bad ones are Tomb Raider and just about every movie Jerry Bruckheimer has ever produced (Armageddon is my least favorite film of all time). They are dull, loud, obnoxious, lack imagination, lazy, poorly written, directed and edited, and just plain horrible. So a brainless movie can be good and fun just as easily as it can be bad and boring.

People who love Bruckheimer movies and the like refuse to admit how bad they are. They think that they can be defended by claiming that these movies aren't aspiring to be anything but dumb fun, like that makes their stupidity okay. I would never try to defend Point Break as a quality movie. I know that it's not. But I love it just the same. But some people will argue to the death that Bruckheimer makes quality movies. They will rave about the genius of Armageddon and The Rock. They are like a cult and will worship the man (and Michael Bay) no matter what he does. Frankly, I think they are simply dolts unable to see the flaws in these "shoot-em-up" movies."

Anyone out there up to defending the honor of Jerry Bruckheimer?  Is there anything to defend?  I gotta’ think so!  The idea that Bruckheimer’s movies have grossed over two billion dollars in the U.S. alone, and yet have no redeeming qualities except to appeal to a large segment of a doltish public, seems a little simplistic.  Any takers out there?  Willing to ‘fess up and tell the world you why enjoy a good Bruckheimer movie occasionally?  Millions of people obviously do …  and while I’d be the first to say that millions of people CAN be wrong, politics aside, are they?

Meanwhile, although Moulin Rouge may have an ”oft-maligned story and characters,” seems it can be explained away as the director’s intent and not a lack of quality in the film -- it’s “an animated stage show, a cartoon opera”   …

First, Kelzeek starts off with a confession…  “I will admit, I am a passionate Moulin Rouge lover. I've seen the film four times and would like to go back and see it again before it leaves theaters for good. However, I'd like to think that I can discuss the film's success and fan following intelligently without resorting to "the rest of you don't get it" tactics.

First off, let me start with the oft-maligned story and characters. I found the whole affair to be much more a nod to theater, mostly Shakespeare, than a movie musical. For example, the show within a show plot is a hallmark of both Shakespearean comedy and drama. I thought Moulin Rouge, especially in subsequent viewings, was extremely clever in weaving the play within a play together. I think Luhrmann clues the audience into his intention with the bookends with the bandleader.

I know I'll be attacked for saying that most Shakespearean characters are paper thin, but take another look at Romeo and Juliet. Two young, naive people fall in love at first sight and hastily decide to die for each other. This bond is their only salient characteristic. Christian and Satine share the same bond -- one that cannot be analyzed. Some may say this is contrived, and I can understand the argument. But I don't think Moulin Rouge was supposed to feature a fully fleshed out love story between two fully fleshed out characters.

The film is all about archetypes. The idealistic writer. The courtesan with the heart of gold. The paternal ringleader. The buffoonish sidekicks. As for the slapstick humor, Shakespeare is full of it -- even in his serious dramas. Some may argue with Luhrmann's use of cartoon sound effects as distracting, but I found them integral to the style he was looking for.

The film's visuals are blatantly cartoonish. Zooming cameras, contorted faces, and other visual techniques are meant to free this world from the "real" world. Moulin Rouge is an animated stage show, a cartoon opera. I think if the film is looked at this way, it makes much more sense.

However, I also understand many perfectly intelligent people who understand what the film was going for simply don't like it. Swampfox is right, movies are subjective. It just so happens that when people are passionate about something, they wish/want everyone else to like it. This is what's happening with Moulin Rouge. People who love it just can't grasp the people who don't. It's the same for any film with a passionate cult following. It's not a matter of
"getting it" or not, it's a matter of taste.

So, I can't really explain why Moulin Rouge "did it" for me. I can point out what I felt to be a touching story, fantastic music, great direction and intricate storytelling, but these are just opinions. There are people out there who hate The Shawshank Redemption and love Pearl Harbor. Do I understand this? No. Do I accept it? I have to, or else I'd be arguing forever.”

Whether a movie moves you is subjective.  Whether you can connect with the story or the characters is subjective.  Taste in movies is certainly subjective.  But what about quality?    A lack of character development in Moulin Rouge is okay because it’s supposed to be archetypes?  Would anyone defend Armageddon the same way?

And what about A.I.?  Camps seem to be pretty divided … Is it the best of two respected directors?  Or is it just a mess? 

Do tell!

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