Friday
26Dec2008
Cruise, UA Betting the Farm on 'Valkyrie'
Friday, December 26, 2008 at 1:49AM
We always like to talk box office and what those numbers mean here at
The Big Picture, not because a huge river of money means the movie is any good, but because
it tells you a lot about the health of a studio at that particular moment, or the ability a
movie star has to show up on marquees the following summer. In short, it's the business of
the business.
Colin Boyd | Permalink | in Box Office, Tom Cruise, UA, Valkyrie | Print Article | Email Article | 4 Comments | Share Article
Reader Comments (4)
Valkyrie is strangely oddbox.
It is a very interesting story. Many people have asked why people in Germany did not react to the evident evil and incompetence of the régime during WWII. Well, some of them did. People of position who had everything to lose by taking a stand. So it's a very exciting and morally challenging story.
But there is some strange thinking behind Valkyrie. First the combination of a slightly worn around the edges British supporting cast, who would not in themself create enough pull for a movie. Nighy and Wilkinson are in fact glorified TV actors who run on repeat even if the do it reasonably well.
Then there is the budget 95 million is a bit steep. The story could be done for much less.
Tom Cruise is of course the odd man out in the ensemble. With his recent image problems it's uncertain that he would have a 100 millions' worth of pull.
Of course, I would like to see the film doing well and I would like Tom Cruise to make a nice come back. There is something ugly about how the business turns on it's stars at the slightest excuse. It's hard to remember it now but Robert Downey's name was really mudd a few years ago, just because of his addiction. Like it's not an occupational hazard.
Anyway, if Valkyrie has a chance it's now when the competition is fairly lacklustre.
I just saw Valkyrie and was impressed. I got lost in this very tense story to the point that I almost forgot the attempt to get rid of Hitler was not going to succeed. I really liked the rich and authentic look the director gave the film. It reminded me of classic "bigger-than-life" challenge movies like Guns of Navarone. All the actors were substantial in performance and presence. In my view, Tom, being a bigger than life character himself, was a good choice for that incredible young officer who risked and lost it all . I thought it was his portrayal that gave the film the needed tension. I hope Valkyrie does well and that United Artists succeeds in its Tom Cruise incarnation.
I agree with the "bigger than life" argument, and the point is well-taken. It still makes you wonder why he can't do an accent after 25 years, though.
������!! ��� ������ ����� ���� ������! - ���� ������ ������ � ���������� - ����� �� ��� ���� ������������� � ��� ����� ������� � ����� �� ������