FILM REVIEW :: Knight and Day

Posted by: Tony – Jul 01, 2010

By now you’ve probably heard that Knight and Day (a film studio execs cleverly scheduled between Toy Story 3 and the new Twilight) is threatening to become the summer’s first bomb. I recently had a chance to watch Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz work their magic in this unique hybrid of action and comedy, and I am somewhat surprised that a movie this exciting is fairing so poorly in what has been a disappointing summer to date so far as new and original content is concerned. It seems like audiences would be eager to soak up such an adventure in the midst of all the sequels and lame comedies clogging up theaters of late, but that hasn’t been the case.

Regardless, Knight and Day is a nifty exercise that boasts an abundance of choice comedic bits and jaw-dropping action sequences. I was reminded of the James Cameron film True Lies, another exhilarating blockbuster with a great sense of humor, but this was a leaner and (in my opinion) more entertaining experience. Cruise and Diaz have good chemistry and they both manage to deliver punches and punchlines. While both stars are capable in both arenas, Tom is better at the action stuff and Diaz provides more in the way of laughter and looking outstanding in a bikini. Peter Sarsgaard is also on hand to lend his efforts, and he does a fine job here though he is far more subdued than usual and he doesn’t command as much attention as he typically would as a result.

The picture starts with a bang as Cameron’s June Havens meets Tom’s Roy Miller, an engaing action hero who claims that he is on the run from crooked feds who are framing him as a deranged double agent. As he works diligently to convince Diaz otherwise, he comes across more and more as a deranged double agent. This fugitive couple leads a mixed bag of government officials and mob enforcers on a thrilling race across the globe, and the movie keeps the audience wondering whether or not Miller is telling the truth and whether or not Diaz believes him or the far more convincing feds who insist Miller is the real bad guy. It’s actually a rather complex premise, but director James Mangold keeps it nice and simple and no one is going to having a hard time following the action here. Sure, there are plotholes, and much of the action is rather absurd, but that’s to be expected in a film of this nature.

Mangold, who recently helmed Walk the Line and 3:10 to Yuma, does a wonderful job here, abruptly veering from massive stunts and complex choreography to slapstick humor when he isn’t delivering both at the same time. He keeps things lively and the film never drags, and he wisely focuses all of our attention on the charming leads who make the picture so warm and appealing. I also applaud the makers of this action-packed adventure for saving the biggest scene for the end, ignoring the current trend of arriving at a film’s most spectacular sequence too soon and leaving the closing feeling anti-climactic as a result. The absurd chase that closes out Knight and Day is an action setpiece for the ages, a rich composition that would make Chaplin proud as the camera deftly follows a heated pursuit involving motorcycles, cars, and stampeding bulls.

In closing, it is unfortunate that such an entertaining film is floundering at the box office, but I strongly encourage anyone who likes action or comedy to check out one of the best releases in a stale summer. Knight and Day may not be the best or most sensible film you see this season, but it should rank among the most enjoyable.