Rating of
3/4
"The Aviator" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 10/22/15
Martin Scorsese's biopic of Howard Hughes is very much in the category of "stranger than fiction"; it's a heady mix of glamorous movie stars, entrepreneurial obsession and cutting edge design and technology, all revolving around a man whose own struggles with mental illness prevented him from becoming a true force of nature. This is a life that was made for cinema and Scorsese makes great use of many dramas, although it is the more personal relationships that make for the film's best moments, particularly Hughes' engaging romance with Katharine Hepburn played to perfection by Oscar winning Cate Blanchett. I personally thought that the colour saturation was a gimmick that distracted rather than added to the story and the scenes of mental illness were slightly glib, making the film fizzle out a little after his horrific plane crash. Leonardo DiCaprio's strong central performance carries the film through it's weaker moments however, and it is always a treat to look at making for a fine biopic about a fascinating life.
