The Perfect Storm

Release Date: July 2nd, 2000

Cast :

Directors: Wolfgang Petersen

This is the case of the People vs. The makers of The Perfect Storm (Wolfgang Petersen, William D. Wittliff  , Gail Katz and Paula Weinstein)

Charge: Misrepresentation
Evidence: The trailer (insert link)

The initial trailers and previews focused on the meteorological anomaly that caused this weatherman’s fantasy of a storm.  Secondary was the story of the three Gloucester fishermen who encountered it.  The movie should have followed the similar pattern.  Petersen chooses to spend the majority of the movie trying to make us care about the characters.  Finally, he takes so long to get to the actual center of the film that the audience becomes ambivalent about the fate of the characters and resolution of the story.

Charge: Emotional Manipulation
Evidence: – Overacted farewells, barroom buddy scenes, prolonged focus on the emotions of townsfolk rather than their reaction to the disaster.

The film spends longer than necessary to show us how these are real people.  It spends time focusing on the small town denizens and how they are all bonded together by the love of fishing and the sea.  It uses scenes that are over the top and obviously exist to milk tears and sympathy from the audience.  Petersen should have just introduced the characters to us, given a little background and insight and then let the sea take over.   Spielberg figured this out in Jaws, Petersen needs to learn it.

Charge: Illegal use of dialogue
Evidence: – “I always find the fish” “I have a bad feeling about this trip”

These are a couple of examples of the painful words that the characters are forced to utter.  This charge is connected with the emotional manipulation charge in that the dialogue is meant to elicit concern and compassion.  The sympathy caused by this dialogue is not for the characters, but for the poor actors who have to utter this drivel and keep a straight face.

Charge: Unnecessary use of stories
Evidence: The introduction, focus and use of three people stranded on a yacht.  The focus on the manufactured strife between two crewmembers. The introduction, then abandonment, or the meteorlogical focus.

The military is sent in to rescue the yacht, turning the story towards their efforts in a Slacker-style transition.  The point of this is never completely clear, and definitely unnecessary in an already bogged down movie. Then there is a manufactured animosity between two men on the boat, which is never completely explained.  It is however neatly resolved in another unnecessary rescue and bonding scene. Christopher MacDonald's weatherman is the most compelling character in the movie. Although he exists only to explain to layman what exactly is happening, his presence and knowledge comes across quite well, and his delivery is dead-on.

Charge: Misappropriation of special effects budget
Evidence: The majority of the storm scenes looked unrealistic.

It appeared that the budget was running out, so they rented out a water park wave pool and a wind machine. Then to create drama, there is a dizzying transition between three stories all set at differing points of the storm.The finale, which is impressive, saves a little face but ultimately it leaves the “all that for THIS” impression. 

The prosecution is willing to dismiss the charges of bad acting by Mr. Clooney, since this would be double jeopardy based upon previous judgments (Batman and Robin, The Peacemaker) Also, for his wonderful musical score, James Horner is absolved from any blame or responsibility.

Damages are requested in the amount to be determined in class action proceedings by all those who request reimbursement of ticket costs.  The prosecution requests pain and suffering for the mental anguish and damage caused by having to stay in the theater for over 2 hours.  The prosecution rests. ($$ out of $$$$)

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