I never thought this would be a bad movie before I actually saw it. Since I saw Das Boot, I was convinced that Wolfgang Petersen is a great director. Das Boot is about a submarine in peril, The Perfect Storm about a fishing boat in trouble. In the end it is about the same theme ... a bunch of men fighting for their lives in the middle of the sea. Knowing this I was convinced that The Perfect Storm would be an excellent movie. But I was wrong ... If the director had cut out the first hour and focused on the struggle with the elements, this would have been a great movie, even an instant classic. Now it is a movie that will soon be forgotten.
If you think you have to watch this movie for the great acting, think again... The cast is OK and they probably did everything they could to make the best out of it, but it just isn't good enough to save the movie. Especially the first hour, before the boat gets in the middle of the storm, is unbelievably boring, far too emotional and oh so predictable. It seemed like everybody already knew what was going to happen, like they already knew the boat isn't going to return.
What I did like about the movie was the special effects. Thanks to these special effects, the movie really comes to life in the last section, when the storm hits. Those waves were absolutely terrifying. It almost feels like you'll be swept away by them yourself. You'll probably be on the edge of your seat during those storm sequences. If you see the movie, try seeing it on a big screen with a good sound system, I'm sure that's the best way to enjoy it.
Having said all this, I think you know why you should or shouldn't watch this movie. I gave it a 6/10 only because I loved those special effects.
If you think you have to watch this movie for the great acting, think again... The cast is OK and they probably did everything they could to make the best out of it, but it just isn't good enough to save the movie. Especially the first hour, before the boat gets in the middle of the storm, is unbelievably boring, far too emotional and oh so predictable. It seemed like everybody already knew what was going to happen, like they already knew the boat isn't going to return.
What I did like about the movie was the special effects. Thanks to these special effects, the movie really comes to life in the last section, when the storm hits. Those waves were absolutely terrifying. It almost feels like you'll be swept away by them yourself. You'll probably be on the edge of your seat during those storm sequences. If you see the movie, try seeing it on a big screen with a good sound system, I'm sure that's the best way to enjoy it.
Having said all this, I think you know why you should or shouldn't watch this movie. I gave it a 6/10 only because I loved those special effects.