bnorthup
06-03-2002, 11:06 PM
Enigma (R)
At the Myrna Loy
3 stars
Sum of All Fears (PG-13)
At the Gaslight
2 stars
Solve the riddle, save the world
By Brent Northup
The role of bright people in tough times is at the heart of two very different “war” films in town. “Enigma,” follows a genius as he attempts to crack the Nazi codes in time to save an Allied fleet of ships in the North Atlantic. “Sum of All Fears” focuses on the scholar Jack Ryan as he tries to head off nuclear war with his head and his keyboard.
Seeing “Enigma” first, as I did, makes “Fears” seem quite silly and shallow – and it makes the choice of Ben Affleck to take over the Harrison Ford role positively baffling. Casting Rodney Dangerfield as Agent 007 would make as much sense.
“Enigma,” while a bit too cerebral for its own good, is still a captivating military chess match. “Fears” is a near total misfire, saved only by a few fascinating moments when the apocalypse approaches. Affleck is, well, just awful.
“Enigma’s” story takes place in Britain’s intelligence headquarters in 1943. There, cryptologist Tom Jericho (Dougray Scott) is trying to break the Nazi transmission code that would reveal the location of deadly U-boats in the Pacific. Jericho is psychologically unstable and, to further scramble his brain, he’s also apparently smitten with a mysterious woman named Claire.
Inevitably, Claire’s motivations for bedding this egghead are questioned. After she disappears, rumors of a mole spread through the agency. Claire? Undeterred by the possibilities of his own manipulation, Jericho continues his quest to save the fleet – aided by a woman who truly loves him, but who senses his heart is elsewhere.
The romance and the mystery work well together, and the unoriginal but majestic music of John Barry adds a touch of class – as does the sweeping cinematography of Seamus McGarvey. The intelligence of the script is also its weakness because it takes such pride in being so inaccessible at times. But at least it doesn’t dumb down the plot.
Speaking of dumbing-down the plot…. let’s talk about “Sum of All Fears.” This Tom Clancy tale is a tired Cold War tale of a rogue ring of Russian scientists who are plotting to start a nuclear war. Our hero, historian Jack Ryan, finds himself in the center of the misdirected American attempt to find the culprits. Ryan suspects the truth: that the Russian government is not behind these events. But can he prove it before the U.S. launches its missiles?
As noted, Affleck is totally wrong for this role. He’s too young. He seems afraid to fire a gun or to risk his life. He even jokes about his own ineptitude. And his romantic interludes are without passion or chemistry. Harrison Ford where are you?
The climax is silly: Ryan is cyber-chatting with the Russian leader, while American intelligence stands helplessly by, unable to stop him.
The only redeeming virtue of “Fears” is the fact that mushroom clouds actually do appear in the script. It’s not just another “near miss” movie. And the reaction of the world to the bomb is, momentarily at least, illuminating.
But the movie is a flop.
Neither “Enigma” nor “Sum of all Fears” is a classic, but the former has a sophistication that is refreshing, while the latter fizzles like a firecracker with a wet fuse.
END
At the Myrna Loy
3 stars
Sum of All Fears (PG-13)
At the Gaslight
2 stars
Solve the riddle, save the world
By Brent Northup
The role of bright people in tough times is at the heart of two very different “war” films in town. “Enigma,” follows a genius as he attempts to crack the Nazi codes in time to save an Allied fleet of ships in the North Atlantic. “Sum of All Fears” focuses on the scholar Jack Ryan as he tries to head off nuclear war with his head and his keyboard.
Seeing “Enigma” first, as I did, makes “Fears” seem quite silly and shallow – and it makes the choice of Ben Affleck to take over the Harrison Ford role positively baffling. Casting Rodney Dangerfield as Agent 007 would make as much sense.
“Enigma,” while a bit too cerebral for its own good, is still a captivating military chess match. “Fears” is a near total misfire, saved only by a few fascinating moments when the apocalypse approaches. Affleck is, well, just awful.
“Enigma’s” story takes place in Britain’s intelligence headquarters in 1943. There, cryptologist Tom Jericho (Dougray Scott) is trying to break the Nazi transmission code that would reveal the location of deadly U-boats in the Pacific. Jericho is psychologically unstable and, to further scramble his brain, he’s also apparently smitten with a mysterious woman named Claire.
Inevitably, Claire’s motivations for bedding this egghead are questioned. After she disappears, rumors of a mole spread through the agency. Claire? Undeterred by the possibilities of his own manipulation, Jericho continues his quest to save the fleet – aided by a woman who truly loves him, but who senses his heart is elsewhere.
The romance and the mystery work well together, and the unoriginal but majestic music of John Barry adds a touch of class – as does the sweeping cinematography of Seamus McGarvey. The intelligence of the script is also its weakness because it takes such pride in being so inaccessible at times. But at least it doesn’t dumb down the plot.
Speaking of dumbing-down the plot…. let’s talk about “Sum of All Fears.” This Tom Clancy tale is a tired Cold War tale of a rogue ring of Russian scientists who are plotting to start a nuclear war. Our hero, historian Jack Ryan, finds himself in the center of the misdirected American attempt to find the culprits. Ryan suspects the truth: that the Russian government is not behind these events. But can he prove it before the U.S. launches its missiles?
As noted, Affleck is totally wrong for this role. He’s too young. He seems afraid to fire a gun or to risk his life. He even jokes about his own ineptitude. And his romantic interludes are without passion or chemistry. Harrison Ford where are you?
The climax is silly: Ryan is cyber-chatting with the Russian leader, while American intelligence stands helplessly by, unable to stop him.
The only redeeming virtue of “Fears” is the fact that mushroom clouds actually do appear in the script. It’s not just another “near miss” movie. And the reaction of the world to the bomb is, momentarily at least, illuminating.
But the movie is a flop.
Neither “Enigma” nor “Sum of all Fears” is a classic, but the former has a sophistication that is refreshing, while the latter fizzles like a firecracker with a wet fuse.
END