Movie Review - The Aviator
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2004 / 170 Minutes / PG-13
Reviewed by Dale Nauertz
Martin Scorsese’s latest film is about Howard Hughes. But, like his best work, it is also about Obsession. Scorsese’s best films seem to be about men driven by their passions and, quite often, torn down by them. (If you doubt me, see “Taxi Driver” and “The King of Comedy”.) And this one is no different. It may have more Hollywood glamour than Scorsese’s other films, and it may be more epic in both length and scope, but it’s still about a man driven to both success and insanity by the insatiable obsessions that drive him. It’s not the best film of the year and that, in and of itself, is something of a disappointment considering the year in film thus far (there have been a lot of good films, and even a couple of great ones, but there haven’t really been any that completely bowled me over and kept me returning again and again to the Cineplex.). But, despite its faults, it will definitely end up in my Top Five Films of 2004. That is, of course, if I ever actually get off my ass and write one.
The film is about the life of Howard Hughes beginning in the late 1920’s and spanning until the late 1940’s. Unlike a lot of biopics, this film doesn’t have a half an hour of our protagonist as a child. There is one scene of him as a child, and it’s a strange scene, but then it’s 1929 and Hughes is in his mid-twenties and directing a movie called “Hell’s Angels”. “Hell’s Angels” suffers one setback after another, due mainly to Howard’s unflinching perfectionism. When he sees the footage he has shot of the plane fights, he decides he wants the planes filmed against clouds to make the shots more exciting. When he finishes the movie, at last, he decides to reshoot it in sound. All told, the filming of “Hell’s Angels” lasts three years. This sets the stage nicely for the rest of Howard’s life. Howard is driven by a desire for perfection, by a desire to make his mark on the world, and a desire to have all the best things in life at his command. Unfortunately, his perfectionism extends to the microscopic level. Howard is nearly paralyzed at times by his obsessive compulsive tendencies, particularly his phobia toward germs. As the years go on, his ideas and innovations get grander and grander while his phobia becomes more and more debilitating. The film does an excellent job of showing both sides of the obsession that motivates Howard Hughes. It has a lot of fun showing us the daring, inventive adventures of Mr. Hughes, and then it fascinates us with the dark secrets that keep Hughes virtually separated from the rest of the world.
Scorsese has done more than almost anyone in his generation to advance the artistry of making motion pictures, and “The Aviator” is no different. The film is nearly three hours in length, but it sure as hell doesn’t feel like it. This film is never anything less than exhilarating. The scenes breeze past effortlessly, with only a couple of them going on a little longer than they probably should. The film focuses a bit too much (in my opinion) on Hughes’s love life but, then again, when the subject of your film is wooing Katherine Hepburn, Jean Harlow and Ava Gardner, I suppose any filmmaker can be forgiven for indulging those moments a bit too much. I was actually surprised at how dark so much of the film is. From the trailers and previews of the film, I expected it to concern Hughes’s daring adventures and virtually ignore the darker aspects. But the film is directed by Martin Scorsese, so I guess I should have known better. There is a plane crash in this film that is one of the most exciting and harrowing I’ve ever witnessed and the scenes dealing with Hughes’s infamous disorder were unnerving and sometimes quite disturbing. The film is never anything less than engrossing. Every scene is presented with a nostalgic gloss and in vibrant colors. The colors in this film simply pop off the screen. From the standpoint of production design and technical finesse, this movie is clearly a winner. The editing is masterful for the most part and all of the performances are top notch.
The best performance of the film, however, belongs to Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes. DiCaprio is mesmerizing here and even his critics will finally have to consent that this is a fearless and fascinating portrait of a mysterious and fascinating man. It’s easily the best male performance of the year. DiCaprio invests the role with enough charm so that we can see how he managed to seduce most of Hollywood’s major starlets, but he also imbues the role with enough subtle tics and odd little moments that we can see the man Hughes would become. The other most impressive turn of the film is Cate Blanchett’s magical work as Katherine Hepburn. She’s amazing here, channeling Kate almost flawlessly, and she’s immense fun to watch. John C. Reilly is his usual dependable self here, as is Alec Baldwin. And I really liked the work of Matt Ross as Hughes’s lead designer, Glenn Odekirk. He gives a very likable and interesting performance. Alan Alda, however, is a revelation as a senator out to destroy Hughes’s ambitions at nearly every turn. I never knew old Alan had this kind of performance in him. Willem Dafoe, Jude Law, Brent Spiner, Ian Holm and Gwen Stefani are fine though underused in what basically amount to cameo appearances. They’re fine, but I would have liked to have seen more of each of their characters.
I’ve heard a lot of complaints that the film doesn’t delve enough into the “whys” of Hughes’s behavior and, personally, I don’t see it. By the end of the film, I thought I understood Howard pretty well. Perhaps, considering the mystery that surrounds so much of the billionaire’s life, as well as possible. I would have liked to see more of his life presented (like any of the “Lord of the Rings” films, this is one of those rare three hour movies that leaves you wanting another hour or so). I’d liked to have seen more of his background, to have gotten a better understanding of the events that led to where we find him at the beginning of the film. And I’d also have liked to see more of the events that transpired after the end credits of the movie rolled. I like the tone on which the film comes to an end, even if I do think the actual ending is a bit abrupt. I would have liked a little more information on what happened to Hughes in the remainder of his life. Hell, even a title card or an onscreen crawl giving us more information might have been enough.
But you’ve got to admit that it’s impressive when a movie clocking in at nearly three hours leaves you wanting more. I’m hoping that, when the film hits DVD, Scorsese presents every scrap of footage he shot for this thing. I’d watch every last minute of it, and probably want even more. I loved this movie so much that I hate even to admit its faults, but there are faults. It’s an engrossing and mesmerizing film with excellent performances and nearly flawless technical skill…it’s just not quite a perfect one.
