"'Storm' Drain"
by Scott Mantz

"The Perfect Storm"
George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg
Directed by Wolfgang Petersen

"Clooney and co. get all wet in 'The Perfect Storm'"

Argh! The sea's a mighty unforgiving place. She giveth, and she taketh away, and when it comes to Hollywood, she taketh away a lot of money. In 1995, production delays and spiraling costs plagued Kevin Costner's "Waterworld," while in 1997, bigger problems threatened to sink James Cameron's epic "Titanic." Gambling on the latter may have paid off big-time for 20th Century Fox, but that might not be the case for Warner Bros' adaptation of Sebastian Junger's best-selling novel. Budgeted at roughly $140 million, "The Perfect Storm" is brimming with plenty of intensity, suspense, and incredible special effects, but the story is drowned out by submerged character development and a soggy script.

It's 1991 in the seaside city of Gloucester, MA, and Andrea Gail Captain Billy Tyne (George Clooney) has just returned from another disappointing fishing run on the big seas. In dire need of money, he and his crew, including Bobby (Mark Wahlberg), Murph (John C. Reilly), and Sully (William Fichtner), squeeze in one final trip before the end of the season. The Andrea Gail ventures further out than ever before and scores with a cargo full of swordfish, but when the ice machine breaks down, they have to get home fast. They can either wait out a menacing storm that has developed between them and Gloucester--and leave their precious cargo to spoil in the process--or they can take their chances and plow right through it. "The hell with it," Tyne says. Big mistake. What they don't realize is that this storm has turned into the most ferocious in recorded history, and the crew of the Andrea Gail witness first-hand the ultimate power of Mother Nature with a bad case of PMS.

The last time director Wolfgang Petersen ventured on the open seas, with 1981's "Das Boot," he delivered what is considered by many to be the best submarine movie ever made. (Come to think of it, the last time composer James Horner ventured on the open seas, with 1997's "Titanic," he did OK too!) Since then, Petersen has had tremendous success Hollywood-style, with a wave of box-office hits like "In the Line of Fire," "Outbreak," and "Air Force One," but the big-budget mindset may have taken its toll on Petersen's flair for intense character development.

For a story that should be brimming with depth, "The Perfect Storm" has far too little of it. The characters go through melodramatic, poorly written, and contrived monologues before the intensity begins, and when it finally does, there's not enough of an emotional impact to make a strong connection. The subplot regarding the Coast Guard rescue attempt, while visually exciting, feels more like filler time to offset the somber tone of the main event, and only by taking into account that it's based on a true story do you make even a slight connection.

The main characters are given shallow depth, while the supporting characters are drowned out completely. George Clooney does his best with what he is given, portraying Billy Tyne as more like Captain Ahab than Captain Kirk, and his actions are what send the Andrea Gail on it's journey into hell. By the time he comes to terms with his fateful decisions, it's far too late. Mark Wahlberg, who teams with Clooney again after "Three Kings," also gives it his all, but with all the special effects, he's not given much room to swim. Diane Lane portrays Wahlberg's love interest, but other than the traditional "breakdown scene," there's little for her to do except look scared.

Between the TV commercials aired during the Super Bowl and the movie posters all over the place, there's no doubt who the real star is--that 100 foot wave that threatens to swallow the Andrea Gail. That scene alone, like the destruction of New York scene in Paramount's "Deep Impact," will be enough to give Warner Bros. a tidal wave of business at the box office, but special effects alone cannot give these true life characters the honor they ultimately deserve.

As far as boat rides are concerned, Gilligan's three hour tour was a walk in the park compared to this. "The Perfect Storm" may do for hurricanes what "Twister" did for tornadoes, but at least the latter wasn't based on a true story. There's no doubt that the intensity will give you plenty to bite your nails about, but it's just too bad that the emotional impact didn't match the thrills. Talk about a disappointment, this is one storm that misses the boat.

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