Antwone Fisher (Full Screen Edition)

Antwone Fisher (Full Screen Edition)

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DVD Reviews of Antwone Fisher (Full Screen Edition)

DVD Review: Soul Cages
Summary: 4 Stars

While it certainly isn't my intention to [...] Antwone Fisher with faint praise I simply fail to recognize this movie as the " gripping story of survival and triumph " that this film purports to be. A movie that proudly wears it's heart as preciptiously on it's sleeve as this one does, for my money, simply needs to bring more to the table then what Mr. Washington provides here...and that is it's curse. It kept running through my mind that the makers of " Antwone Fisher " seemed to want their film to be much more emotionally devastating ( and ultimately personally rewarding ) then what it truly is. Sadly, the impact that this movie had on this viewer was far less then devastating. I thought it interesting but, sadly, simply far too mundane to keep me in suspense. Playing the lead role actor Derek Luke is truly gifted as the troubled young seaman who is summarily sent to Naval psychiatrist ( Denzel ) for examination before being considered for expulsion from the military. As the search for Antwones painful past is exhibited in a series of flashbacks I generally felt slightly manipulated ( a huge no-no when it comes to attempting to establish any sort of gripping human drama ) into caring for the young sailor and his search for his true family. Which never bodes well when selling a story based on pure emotion, sadly ommitting any intellectual curiosites that may have sparked the film into the emotional drama that it seemed to, in all earnest, be painfully searching for. Overall, while the movie most certainly had it's moments it came off, at times, feeling much like a film I might see on the Hallmark television channel or even Lifetime, had our protagonist been a woman.

Don't misunderstand me though, as both lead actors played very well against each other and the viewer will no doubt find him/herself cheering on Antwone to its predictably somewhat happy ending. In addition, the final scene in the film, which I suspect was inserted to show how Antwone had come full circle and had gained the respect of the psychaitrist seemed truly contrived and gave the air of somehow trying to wrap up circumstances just a little to nicely. Overall, I thought, for a freshman effort, Denzel Washington's directorial debut, if not a little pedestrian, was not without it's success. I do suspect though that as popular as Denzel Washngton is ( right along-side the perennially likable Tom Hanks ) perhaps audiences are giving him a little more leeway as opposed to an established director with a fully realized body of work. And who's to say, perhaps Mr. Washington's next attempt at film-making will be a story much more worthy of his efforts. 3.5 stars

Description of Antwone Fisher (Full Screen Edition)