Annapolis (Widescreen)

Younger fans of Hollywood films will no doubt give this movie the thumbs up. But for those Hollywood film fans old enough to remember the 1982 film "An Officer and a Gentleman" starring Richard Gere, "Annapolis" is a poor imitation. "An Officer and a Gentleman" told the melodramatic story of Zack Mayo, played by Richard Gere, whose self-absorption came into harsh conflict with the communitarian values of his drill instructor Emil Foley played by Lou Gossett Jr . The extra-curricular affair between Zack and a local girl served to illuminate his self-interested attitude in which the interests of others were held in little regard. Only after Mayo's best friend Sid Worley commited suicide over an unhappy romance did Zack come out of his culturally-programmed adolescence and then mature into adulthood.

That said, younger audiences will like the melodramatic plot of "Annapolis". James Franco plays Jake Huard, an amateur boxer and shipyard worker who wants to climb the class ladder to become a midshipman. And this is where Jake Huard parts company with his predecessor Zack Mayo. Zack Mayo was always officer material, just pre-absorbed with getting ahead and not taking notice that others were trying to get ahead also. Jake Huard, however, is in search of his estranged father's approval and determines to suffer whatever it takes to become an officer. Whereas Mayo matured into an officer, Huard remains a self-absorbed boxer in a Navy uniform - although less self-absorbed because he is able to get the monkey off his back and win his father's approval.

In a style reminiscent of "Boom Boom" Mancini, Huard battered his Congressperson with requests for over 30 days straight in order to secure a letter of recommendation to Annapolis. Once there, he bunks with the loser Estrada played by Wilmer Calderon, the methodical Loo played by Roger Fan, and the misfit Twins masterfully played by Vicellous Reon Shannon. Twins and Huard are scorned and ridiculed by the other cadets who view them as misfits. The resulting chemistry between these two characters is superb, reinforced by Shannon's excellent acting in his portrayal of Twins. Huard continues to break rules and grate nerves until his opportunity for redemption arrives - a boxing showdown with the cadet menace Cole, played by Tyrese Gibson. The film quickly transforms itself into Rocky versus the Naval Dictator. Despite the canned character scripts and sea of clichés complained of by previous reviewers, the melodrama never sinks with the ship.

The so-called romance or lust attraction that develops between Huard and the officer Ali played by Jordana Brewster is pretty far-fetched. It is true that, in real American life, sometimes -rarely - American teachers fall for students. It happens. But Huard had one previous meeting with Ali in a bar prior to all this, so she had not always been his superior officer. Younger audiences will find the relationship between Huard and Ali plausible, while older audiences will find it preposterous.

"Annapolis" is directed by Justin Lin and was filmed at a Philadelphia College rather than the actual Annapolis. It seems that the Navy does not cotton to disparaging Hollywood films - they said "No" to "An Officer and a Gentleman" too, which was mostly filmed on location at Port Townsend, Washington rather than the Naval Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida.

Rated PG-13 for profanity, lust, alcohol and violence.

OK, I had heard "Annapolis" was a pale imitation of "An Officer and a Gentleman"--but I still went into it with an open mind. Just because a film shares similar plot points or qualities with another film doesn't mean it isn't worthy of a look. There are only so many plots to go around--take romantic comedies, for example. If you got rid of those that copied other movies, we'd be left with about six total in the history of cinema. If something is done well, it can defy its limitations and seem fresh. Heck, it isn't even as if "An Officer and a Gentleman" was a novel or new story--it played by fairly conventional storytelling rules, it just did so exceedingly well.

So, trying as hard as possible to offer a different perspective--I, too, feel that "Annapolis" borrows heavily from "Officer." It's all here. Boy from wrong side of the tracks makes good in the service--check. Cadet who can't complete obstacle course helped by hero--check. Cadet who doesn't succeed attempts suicide--check. Hero's tension with superior leads up to big fight--check. Mutual respect, triumph over adversity--check, check, CHECK already. By jettisoning the romance at the heart of "Officer," "Annapolis" is left with only the cliche'--becoming a good person through military service.

But even that pales in comparison. James Franco is a good actor, but he is becoming increasingly expressionless. It's as if he thinks a dour expression equals seriousness. Richard Gere (in "Officer"), meanwhile, ran a real emotional gamut--rage, passion, heartbreak. He made a very typical story moving and powerful. But, of course, he had Louis Gossett, in an Oscar winning performance, to play off of. Let's just say that Tyrese Gibson isn't in that league. As the female lead, we've got Jordana Brewster. She is appealing and likable, if not particularly believable in this role.

One of my main issues with "Annapolis" is its sloppy character development. Franco is regarded as the worst cadet in the unit, and as such is really ridden by his superiors. He is a loner, doesn't ask for help--so you know a valuable life lesson will need to be learned. Gere, in "Officer," was just such a recruit. But the moment he is broken, the moment of his realization--it is a brilliant and emotionally devastating scene played to perfection. In "Annapolis," though, blink and you'll miss it--there's no catharsis here. One night he just decides to be a great recruit. He then studies all night to improve his scores, trains for boxing all day and night for a big tournament, and helps his roommate on the obstacle course all day. I don't know when he sleeps or does any real "soldiering."

"Annapolis" is, essentially at heart, a chaste and glossy remake. But lacking the dynamic performances and the realness, it just falls short as entertainment. No deeper than a typical music video, it's all surface--pretty to look at, but ultimately forgettable. KGHarris, 12/06.

Annapolis is supposed to be a story of the underdog, who rises above the fray to achieve glory, but the movie is riddled with so many clichés and rip-offs and features such an absolutely astounding lack of imagination on behalf of the director Justin Lin, that it becomes almost impossible to take any of it seriously. It doesn't help that for much of the time, Annapolis just can't figure out what it wants to be - a picture about boxing or a hard-edged military drama. I rented it for the beefcake - so go figure.

This competently made but rather bland take on An Officer and A Gentleman and Rocky stars James Franco as the melancholy Jake Huard. Jake is a working-class kid who works with his father (Brian Goodman) on the Annapolis shipyards, drinks beers with his buddies at night, but in reality harbors dreams of attending the Naval Academy across the bay.

Jake is also an amateur boxer, and his undeniable talent in the ring gets the attention of an officer from the Academy. Soon he's admitted into Annapolis and becomes the nemesis of Tyrese Gibson's ex-Marine midshipman Lt. Cole, the film's titular villain but really just a nice guy at heart. Lt. Cole seems determined to undermine Jake as well as prove he's the superior force in the real life Brigade Championships.

The poor Jake - and his "plebe" mates - are forced to undergo all kinds of humiliations in order to toughen them up for officer material, he encounters merciless rules, the dogged and resolute brotherhood, and the unsparing superior Lt. Cole, and the film does do a good job of portraying some of the rigors of training. But all too often the film falls into sadistic stereotyping and much of what we see doesn't always come across as true.

The eye-catching Jordana Brewster drops in and out of the story as a spunky upperclassman and romantic interest that is attracted to Jake's rugged good looks and rough manners, but likewise, her character isn't that realistic.

James Franco is suitably sullen and earnest as Jake, he's reserved and inscrutable at the start, but there's something un-charismatic about him and we never really root for him like we should.

Annapolis starts off quite well. There's a gritty, edgy quality to the proceedings and the dynamic between Jake and his father is generally well done. If the movie had concentrated much more on the motivations of their uneasy relationship - his father doesn't believe he will ever make it - the film as a whole would probably have been much more interesting.

Lin does inject a little tension into the forcefully integrated cast - particularly during the training sessions and there's some real frenetic energy infused into the fight scenes - there's also lots of muscled eye candy - but the film never manages to find a single surprise in the script or rise above the ordinary. Most viewers will probably end up telegraphing each plot turn as it comes. Mike Leonard June 06.

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