Movie Review: Knight & Day

By Michael Vass | June 28, 2010

There is a reason why you may not have heard much about this latest Tom Cruise film. For all the advertising, the film isn’t what it’s billed to be.

The film is billed as a mix of 3 Days of the Condor and Bourne Identity. A blend of action, comedy, and spy thriller. North by Northwest with a chick. In fact it is none of these.

Knight & Day is a chick flick hidden in a quasi-action spy film. Which doesn’t make it bad, but it does mean that it has a confused target market. IT also means that while the movie is decent, it is not a must see for any of those that it is geared torwards.

To start with the film wants to have action. Lots of shoot-outs, car and motorcycle chases, and the occasional explosion. This would draw a male audience, generally around 18 – 45. But the film has a cohesive (mostly) story line, that centers around Cameron Diaz and how she feels/deals with the absurdity of the situation she is in. Which says nothing of the chemistry and attraction (that is never consumated nd only gradually found to be mutual) that her character June has for Roy/Matthew (Cruise). That’s for the women aged 25 – 45.

As much as the film makes these different elements mix, often comically and generally well, it never gets to the next level of enjoyment. It constantly keeps you at arms distance and not connecting. Then again I am a man and enjoy the overkill that a film like this usually includes – so I may be biased and/or off on how a woman might react to this film.

The action in the film is ok. It’s not over the top impossible, though a bit incredulous. Cameron Diaz as the incalculably lucky noob surrounded by highly trained sharks works though you never buy into her being so lucky (or later in the film so skilled) as say Jamie Foxx was in the far better Collateral.

The growing love story is a bit less believable, and less likely. Probalby one of the funniest scenes in the film was meant to be the most romantic. Roy walks through a hail of gunfire to June and kisses her. It wasn’t a passionate kiss. And the circumstances are such that only in Hollywood could the characters survive another 5 seconds beyond the moment. Something that makes the scene laughable and completely draws the audience out of the film experience.

It’s moments like that which are scattered throughout the movie. They neither seem credible nor do they involve the audience. Thus the film as a total is watchable, but not a must see. The blockbuster goal of the film is not realistic, though it should eventually (when the DVD is released) make back its money.

If you want to take a first date or new boy/girlfriend out to a movie, this is a safe bet. Both will find things in the film to make it a tolerable experience. If you love action films and/or spy thrillers you will be somewhat bored. For those that love romance and chick flicks, the same can be said. It’s a movie that will leave everyone with a taste for more, and satisfy none.

Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)