IvanF's Cut and Paste, No-Name Theatrical Review of
The Aviator 2004

- IvanFian written January 5th, 2005 -

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- Commentary from a friend -

"Well, I know that this is long overdue but last Tuesday, December 28...I saw "The Aviator" at 8:45pm...and to say the least this film was quite good. I have to say that the direction by Martin Scorsese was mesmorizing and excellent, and that the direction couldn't have been done well if it wasn't the superb writing job by John Logan. I must say that Mr. Logan really is a key player among screenwriters in Hollywood these days. I mean he has brought us such films as "Gladiator", "Star Trek: Nemesis", "The Last Samurai", and now "The Aviator." Great achievements, indeed, Mr. Logan.

First of all, this film is about the life and passion of Howard Hughes, who is played by Leonardo DiCaprio. The film essentially only follows the path of Hughes' life from the late 1920's through 1947. During these years, Hughes was shown as an obsessive director, and a person who had a love for flight and all things aviation. The way that Hughes would wanted his vision of "Hell's Angels", his epic World War I story of the soldiers who bravely fought was over and beyond anyone's vision for the time. His views that a soldier's flight through the sky can only be realistic if surrounded by clouds was clearly visionary. The introduction in the film of the meterologist Hughes asked for from UCLA was kinda brilliant. The interplay between Ian Holm, who played the meterologist, and Hughes was just brilliant dialogue and great comedy.

Among the other avenues of Hughes life, was his increasing star power. With his growing star power, Hughes became infatuated with many a beautiful Hollywood actresses, from Jean Harlow to Katherine Hepburn to Ava Gardner to Jane Russell. Among the most enduring of Hughes' love affairs was that with Katherine Hepburn played exquisitely by Cate Blanchett. Now, in my honest opinion, there should be no nominations for best supporting actress at the Oscars this year. This is because Blanchett's performance as Hepburn is so well done, that she blows her part out of the water and is quite possibly the best showstopper, scene stealer in quite a long while. Excellent and well done Miss Blanchett, bravo!

The other main character as it were in this film is Noah Dietrich (John C. Reilly), who is Howard Hughes' accountant/manages the finances. From the moment Noah is introduced to Howard, their relationship just clicks. The chemistry between Reilly and DiCaprio in the film is just plan outstanding. Great writing. As Hughes' character obsessiveness really gets to him, it is Noah that really takes on a nurturing friend role and really observes this fragile, yet brilliant mind.

The other event that this film portrays is the fact that Hughes was as huge a RISK taker as anyone in business ever has been. He was so risky that he put his finances into TWA (Trans World Airlines), and to expand them into an international carrier. By so doing, Hughes was willing to compete head to head with the monopolistic airlane Pan-Am and its head Juan Trippe (Alec Baldwin). I really must say that Baldwin's performance is extremely cool as ice. The way that he can quite courting with the ladies at a dinner party, as well as carry on a respectable conversation with Hughes is quite well done. The balance that Baldwin brings to Trippe as a lean, mean businessman yet still looking as a suave, respectable, humble man is remarkable as a perfomance. This is especially true when Trippe confronts Hughes when Hughes has locked himself in his personal theatre at his office. (This was the first time when Hughes became so obsessive with cleanliness and ideas that it tortured him to no end.) The way that Trippe was able to have a back-and-forth with Hughes in his condition took remarkable courage, and Trippe was never shaken.

Another character that has to be mentioned is Alan Alda's Sen. Ralph Brewster (from Maine). Brewster was a man who had close ties with Trippe to ensure that Pan-Am would remain the world's carrier. No matter the innovation and increasing technology that Hughes brought to aviation, Brewster became Trippe's federal source to try and bring him down no matter what. From the private lunch where Brewster sabotaged Hughes glass with a fingerprint to the inquisition of Hughes and his business, Brewster was willing to put Mr. Hughes out of business and dissipate his cultural and business standing in the world.

However, throughout the love affairs and love of aviation in which is dream was to build and fly the largest airplane known to man ("The Hercules" or as the public referred to it as the "Spruce Goose")...Hughes biggest downfall was his overwhelming obsessive-compulsiveness since he was a child growing up in Texas. This is because Hughes was entrenched with the idea of quarantine. The opening scene of the movie where his mother is making him spell "Q-U-A-R-A-N-T-I-N-E" was simply chilling. The way that his mother wanted everything for his child to be clean from disease and anything consisting of germs.

Overall, this was a remarkable biopic film. I must say that this is a major achievement for Martin Scorsese as director and Leonardo DiCaprio as actor. As well, no achievement awards would be fulfilled without mentioning John Logan. His script really shines here with great drama, action, comedy, suspense, and romance. And like I said earlier, the performance of the film and perhaps the year is Cate Blanchett as Katherine Hepburn...simply inspirational and breathtaking to behold...well done...indeed.

Therefore, I give this film a 8.5/10 and a 4/4 stars."

Film Design - 8.5
Enjoyment Factor - 9.0
Overall (not an average) - 8.5
(4 out of 4 stars)
- Risen Phoenix -