Amelila, Crash Lands After Bumpy Ride  (our rating:2 Binoculars)

Run time 1:54 Rated PG 13, Directed by Mira Nair

Writers (WGA): Ronald Bass & Anna Hamilton Phelan

Cast: Hilary Swank, Ricard Gere, Ewan McGregor

(G) Sorry, there are usually reasons why the studios won’t prescreen movies (as with this one). Amelia was dull and lifeless from beginning to end. I think the main problems were the script and direction (in that order) with lackluster acting coming in a close third.

(B) I don’t think the acting was bad. I just don’t think that the cast had much to work with. Even if you didn’t know the story of legendary American pilot Amelia Earhart, you could figure this one out in short order. There is a weak attempt at trying to instill suspense by the use of flashbacks, but these episodes are simply not intereting. I also think the editing needed closer review, but I fault the director for this. (G) No one seemed to have any direction other than to recreate the final flight of Ms. Earhart and if you already know the story (and most of us do) then there is even less to be appreciated.

(B) There is nothing new here, and certainly nothing that couldn’t have been learned by watching a documentary. At least, with a documentary your interest is kept by the fact that the images you are seeing are the real, historical characters.

(G) There is entirely too many scenes of Hilary Swank flying. The few exterior shots and drab and uninteresting also. Richard Gere did about five minutes of acting in the entire film and he’s in about ½ of the scenes.

(B) I have seen better aerial photography in Out of Africa, and the story was more passionately presented. I was disappointed. I could never figure out why we had to see so many scenes of the same things! How many times can we look at a person sitting in a cockpit? I will give this movie 2 binoculars out of five. That’s strickly for costume and setting.

(G) I will go along with the 2 binoculars, but to tell you the truth I can’t say exactly why.