Reviewed by Lamar Kukuk
6/23/07
I've often said that the
best sequels are to movies that don't entirely work. Not “bad” movies
per se, but the ones that leave you frustrated that their potential went
unrealized. Sequel a great movie, and you've got a high bar you're
expected to meet or even exceed. Sequel a mess, and you've not only
got a lower bar to get over, but a clear guide to all the things you shouldn't
do. 2003's Bruce Almighty got a few laughs from the clever
idea of an ordinary man (Jim Carrey) given the power of God to teach him
a thing or two about faith, but mostly failed at the story level.
Carrey wasn't interested in returning for a sequel, but writer Steve Oedekerk
and director Tom Shadyac found a new leading man within their own cast:
Bruce was the first major movie role for rising comic Steve Carell,
who played TV anchorman Evan Baxter. Morgan Freeman returns as God,
and Oedekerk worked his rewriting magic on a Bruce-free spec script called
The Passion of the Ark about a modern-day politician called upon by God
to build an ark, just like Noah. The result, Evan Almighty,
is not just a movie far better than its' predecessor, but a funny and inspirational
extravaganza that delivers just about everything you could ask for from
a Summer movie.
Tiring of his TV news gig,
Evan ran for Congress, promising to “Change the World”, and won.
He packs up and moves to Washington with his family: wife Joan (Lauren
Graham) and sons Dylan (Johnny Simmons), Jordan (Graham Phillips) and Ryan
(Jimmy Bennett). But from the moment he gets there, he's a pawn of
Congressman Long (John Goodman), a power player who's looking to Evan to
help him pass a bill opening public lands to private development.
Prodded by Joan to pray for help with his new job, Evan gets more than
he bargained for when a case of building tools arrives at his doorstep.
It's followed by a delivery of lumber to his front yard. And then,
the pairs of animals start to show up, followed by visits from God himself.
He tells Evan that a flood is coming, and that if he really wants to Change
the World, he'd better start building an ark. It's tough to refuse
when he starts growing a Noah beard that comes right back every time he
shaves. Once he can no longer hide the construction project from
the world, Congressman Baxter becomes a laughingstock, risking his job
and his family. But when God says a flood's coming, you'd better
listen...
Evan Almighty gets
off to a mildly rugged start as it sets up the Congressman's new job, home
and co-workers (Wanda Sykes, John Michael Higgins, and Jonah Hill).
It seems as though we should expect the kind of frantic, one-note performance
from Carell that he gives on TV's The Office, and while it is funny,
I was concerned that I wasn't going to see any depth from him. Not
to worry: once God intervenes, he slowly, carefully modulates his
persona until he's shifted well to the Little Miss Sunshine side
of his range. Late in the game, it's amazing how much bearing and
spiritual calm the former Daily Show correspondent has been able
to project. Ditto the film itself: the story isn't just about something,
it's about a LOT of things: faith, environmentalism, political corruption,
and simple humanity, and it does a pretty good job with all of them.
Freeman is once again sensational as The Almighty, and Oedekirk gives him
all manner of quality wisdom to deliver with his inimitable grace.
Granted, I kept wondering why Evan never attempts to shave in front of
the people who don't believe his story to prove it to them, but this IS
a parable, and that would kinda bypass the whole faith issue...
And then there's the spectacle:
a big problem with the modern FX movie is that there's so much that we've
already seen. Once you've seen a photo-realistic dinosaur, it's hard
to be more than acceptably impressed with other kinds of monsters.
Same with spaceships and asteroids and superheroes. But we haven't
yet had a modern FX run through the Noah story, and the ark, the animals,
and the flood that ultimately comes are wonderfully new and exciting.
Over a hundred real animals were used, augmented by hundred more of their
CGI brethren (I couldn't tell the difference, but I can pretty much guarantee
that no real pandas acted in the film). The ark is tremendous in
its' size and realism, and I loved the fact that all the action occurs
in broad daylight rather than money-saving darkness. The film cost
a reported 175 million dollars, and it looks it.
In addition to the stars,
the supporting cast is mostly solid. Graham is able to convincingly
deliver all the Movie Wife emotions, and the kids are never annoying.
Goodman embodies political corruption well, and Higgins does a good job
with lots of frantic exposition. I'm not really a Wanda Sykes guy:
she's not really an actress, just a punchline machine, and it's jarring
how the movie keeps stopping so she can hit one pop culture hot button
or another. As the plot progresses, she gets a little less annoying,
but I'd love to see her sometime in a movie where she seems like a real
person.
While Evan Almighty
is kinda short at 93 minutes, it's pretty much exactly the right length,
and never feels rushed or draggy. It's an uplifting story with a
mix of religious fervor, environmental awareness and political reformism
that should give most everyone something to latch onto. Failing that,
the animals are cute, the ark is massive and it's got one mighty impressive
flood. At last, 2007 has produced a great traditional Summer movie.
And I can stop gnashing my teeth about how I would have fixed Bruce
Almighty. |
