Storm fails to hit the mark

In Autumn 1991 there was a huge storm off the Eastern coast of America.

Three hurricane-like weather fronts converged to create the most powerful storm ever recorded ,, what was termed the perfect storm.

They like things big in the States so it was only a matter of time before the storm was turned into a movie.

And as you'd expect in Hollywood, they wanted to create waves with this one ,, literally. So they hired more than 60 special effects boffins and spent a fortune recreating the perfect storm inside a computer. Oh and they hired some actors too, to play the fishermen caught up in it (most notably George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg).

This heavily-marketed movie went down a proverbial storm in the US, netting more than £100million in two weeks.

However, the first 70 minutes are incredibly dull, taken up by trite nonsensical conversations about fishing and cringeworthy declarations of love from a bunch of men who wear dirty baseball caps.

When the storm finally kicks in you're past caring what happens to these idiots and have to sit through lots of shots of big waves, an over-the-top melodramatic score, and more heroic macho talk from Clooney and co.

Director Wolfgang Petersen has decided to concentrate on the special effects, rather than the claustrophobia and crew's fear. Here, he uses the actors as little more than objects to throw water against. And don't hold your breath for the effects ,, they're not that special.

This film has no redeeming features. I'd rather drown than see it again.

review by LEIGH COLLINS