You know, unexpected surprises are aplenty in this world we drift through. When the normal pre-Summer fodder has all burned through (I usually choose to save my money during the January-May months as they almost never have anything extraordinary to offer) and the Summer blockbusters sit poised for their release, what else is there to justify a jaunt out to the cinema?
Knight and Day, a new release by 20th Century Fox starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz offered me no intrigue during its two week ad campaign. "Oh look," thought I, "another movie with Tom Cruise as a flawless, impossibly skilled action hero saving a damsel in distress who doesn't know about these fancy man-gun things".
The unexpected surprise was exactly how much fun I had while watching the movie. Knight and Day is ridiculous, to be sure, but it knows that it is implausible, and even cartoonish in its portrait of espionage and action fanfare. If it were an animated film, almost nothing would need to be changed, as it would fit well in the category of farcical fun.
Tom Cruise is actually very delightful as (yet again) a ridiculously debonair governmental agent gone rogue to save the life of a young high school inventor who has discovered an alternative energy source. Cameron Diaz floats through the film as a woman who bumped into Tom Cruise at the airport and manages to cling to him throughout the entirety of the movie. Diaz offers nothing unique or special to the role, but there is no doubt that she adds to the film's fun.
Although most (including myself) consider the opening of Toy Story 3 to be the official start to the Summer Blockbuster season, I would love to have Knight and Day as a small side salad after the appetizer.
B+
Posts
