| _____
|
____
|
Starring Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey, James Woods, Tom Skerritt, Angela Bassett,
David Morse. Directed by Robert Zemeckis. From the Book by Carl Sagan.
Actually based on a real science fiction book, Contact begins with a young, bright 8-year
old girl listening for voices out there on her ham radio, with her father. They eventually begin
looking to the stars through telescopes, but then her father dies of a heart attack, leaving the motherless
girl all alone. Flash forward, and we find the girl all grown up as Jodie Foster, listening on a
huge remote government satellite dish for sound waves from faraway places. Of course the
president's science advisor (Skerritt) thinks she's wasting her considerable talents, and after asking her
if "E.T.'s called yet", pulls the plug on her project, forcing her to rent a bunch of remote satellites
from the government using money from an anonymous corporate donor. But just as she and her
cohorts are about to be shut down again, they discover a strong pulsating sound from the far off
Vega galaxy. The Vegans also shoot back a video of Hitler opening the 1936 Olympic games
(the first time humans shot a strong signal into space) to show how they discovered our existence.
As well as the video, they send back an encrypted message that tells how to build a futuristic
space vehicle that can propel one person into space to visit Vega. The nations of the world
get together to build this wondrous apparatus. And wouldn't you know it. While Jodie is one of ten
finalists to go, so is her old nemisis, Mr. Skerritt. And an old flame from her dish-listening days
(McConaughey) is a presidential spiritual advisor and on the selection committee who will decide
who goes. And after a few setbacks and plot developments, guess who goes?
It's nice that someone attempted a sci-fi movie with a little thought, and some
exploration of ideas. There's lots of technology, discussion about the existence of God and beings
from other planets, and the special effects are outstanding. The space ship and its launch structure,
and how the structure works is unique and visually stunning. Jodie's trip into space takes her through
lights, effects and galaxies of stunning beauty. Foster gives an energetic, emotional performance
(sometimes too emotional) that elevates the movie. The rest of the cast (especially Woods) is fine.
The problem with the movie is the Hollywood parts. The story is fairly predictable, liberally laced
with unlikely scenarios which might pass in a comedy action-adventure flick, but which hurt a more
serious drama. Like a man of God discussing his faith while in bed with Foster on the first day he met
her, with no discussion as to maybe he shouldn't be doing this. This same spiritual advisor years
later being on a worldwide astronaut selection panel. And he doesn't tell anybody of his history
and current affections for one of the ten finalists? Plus an eccentric filthy rich industrialist gives Foster
money for her project, and when it works out and the government takes over the project, he doesn't
demand any reward for his investment?
And while the insert-the-famous-person-by- computer trick didn't bother me as much in Forrest Gump,
I found it really annoying here. President Clinton is inserted over and over, mostly using clips he
actually said, many of which don't fit, and few have anything important to add to the film. And
CNN newshounds are also used several times. Isn't there a problem with supposedly real
journalists using their credibility to give this fantasy a touch of reality? Perhaps its continual overuse
was what bothered me. The script also has too many bad lines. Skerritt, after first being chosen
to be the astronaut over Foster, tells Foster he's sorry but the world isn't always fair, and Foster
meekly responds "the world is what you make of it". McConaughey tells Foster he didn't vote for
her because he "didn't want to lose" her. Nice cliche. This is not even close to a bad movie -
I liked much of it, but it's just that it had potential to be so much better.
 
If you would like to respond to the above, please click the
E-Mail
Press Here
To Go Back To The Main Page
Press Here To Go Back To The Review List Page
|
