Friday, August 17, 2007

EAGLE VS SHARK - over-long faux-naif romance

EAGLE VS SHARK is like watching a less funny, less sympathetic version of NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, but with the sets wall-papered by Wes Anderson. It's all there. Obsessive, emotionally illiterate geeks and freaks stumbling onto love. Weirdo side-kicks with a penchant for early 80s leisure-wear. A sound-track heavy in jangly guitars, close harmony and Nick Drake knock-offs. The lead performances are both fine and the production design/art direction/framing and editing succeed in re-creating that faux-naif style. But the script is simply too thin to sustain the run-time. Shame. Probably worth renting on DVD just to see a funny Mr T impression and a very very brave un-Hollywood choice in the final confrontation.

EAGLE VS SHARK played Sundance, Berlin and Cannes 2007. It opened in the US in May and is currently playing in the UK. It opens in New Zealand on August 30th 2007.

3 comments:

  1. will this movie be available in Iceland? :O

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  2. Hi Lilja - I don't think the movie has a release date in Iceland but I did mail a contact to find out the DVD release date....

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  3. ok! thanks alot.
    Would love to see this movie, can't stop laughing at Napoleon Dynemite :]

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