While Tom Cruise was totally miscast in “Mummy” reboot and the film bombed. The “Top Gun” action star returns to the skies so to speak with “American Made”, re-teaming with “Edge
of Tomorrow” director Doug Liman.
Here he’s airline pilot Barry Seal, who traded up flying commercially to working as a spy for the CIA, to smuggling contraband during the Cold War era of the 70s and 80s.
Liman mixes a collage of off the wall movie tactics: wild camera angles, on screen graphics, coupling text and voice-over narration giving the documentary style look. This being a historical drama the approach works very well.
Seal is a natural at running contraband even upping the anti with info and soldiers, between the US and a variety of Central American countries, while avoiding the powers that be he making so much money he runs out of places to keep it.
This is an intricate part of the wit in “American Made”. All of this is good until the bill comes due and he begins fending of not just the dirty side of the American law enforcement but drug lords and dictators, along with the infamous Pablo Escobar. With all this going down we know it’s going to be a bumpy ride, but this movie is all about the ups and downs and it’s very entertaining.
It’s a triple threat Cruise, Liman and screenwriter Gary Spinelli for bringing a interesting tale of a poor mans journey to his Trump size empire. The movie is nearly a constant thrill ride and quite a few twists and set backs. But thanks to Limans aforementioned direction tricks, the intricate story is simple.
Cruise is front and center here, not just in the cockpit but he’s also included in the end credits as a Stunt Pilot. Cruise also does a great job putting his take on the “average Joe” character.
This is a very funny, efficient and well rounded movie one of the best from 2017. This is the first time Cruise has done more than 1 movie in a year since 1999. A cool little thing is how they did the credits Universal Studios, Imagine Entertainment and Cross Creek Pictures all take part in a little rewind with their respected logos and go back in time to the time period.
RATING R for language throughout and some sexuality/nudity
This is defiantly one too watch on VidAngel
I give it an A
