The Aviator
2004
Martin Scorsese's THE AVIATOR is a lavish spectacle of a motion picture that harks back to Hollywood's Golden Era in telling the story of Howard Hughes, one of 20th-century America's most pioneering and influential figures. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the eccentric billionaire, Scorsese's biopic concentrates on Hughes's life .. Read more
| Starring | Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, Alec Baldwin |
|---|---|
| Director | Martin Scorsese |
| Genres | Audio Descriptive, Drama |
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Critics' reviews (6)
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It says something about Howard Hughes that he's been played on screen quite convincingly by such different actors as Tommy Lee Jones, Jason Robards, Dean Stockwell, ... read more »
- LOVEFiLM
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If The Aviator lacks the punch of Martin Scorsese's earlier biopic Raging Bull, it's perhaps because Howard Hughes presents him with too much raw material. A millionaire at 18 (he inherited the Hughes Tool Company from his father), Hughes went on to become an aircraft designer and movie mogul, set air-speed records, date Hollywood's top stars and create Jane Russell's push-up bra in The Outlaw. Hughes's childhood is dismissed in a brief prologue that sets up his obsession with cleanliness, then it's straight on to the beginning of his Hollywood career. The film is uneven, seemingly unsure of whether its protagonist is hero or villain, but Leonardo DiCaprio brings an impressive intensity to the role of Hughes — even if he still looks too boyish for the role. Cate Blanchett is a treat as a rather Emma Thompson-like Katharine Hepburn, but Kate Beckinsale is hopelessly miscast as Ava Gardner.
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Fascinating, witty and detailed account of a complex man that concentrates on his years of success and glamour, though it hints at the his future as a obsessive, unhinged recluse.
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Most helpful members' reviews (3)
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48 out of 61 people found this review helpful
What was it actually about?
I watched the whole film with my partner, and by the end of it we were still none the wiser as to what it was actually about... the plot line seemed to be very vague, and jumped around a lot... Hughes' (Leo DiCaprio) psychological disorder was never properly addressed in the film, although it showed moments of great paranoia, and it felt like great chunks of plot had been cut, so for me the film didn't flow. I guess some people will love it, but I was very disappointed after all the hype :o(
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21 out of 21 people found this review helpful
Did not live up to expectations
I had heard such rave reviews of this film and had high hopes. The film is much too long and at times boring; there seems little actual story and it ends somewhat abruptly, not really giving too much of an insight into the recluse Howard Hughes became - his life in Las Vegas etc.
Interesting parts included the female screen stars he was involved with.....Guess its a must for Leonardo fans but for me it did not live up to expectations -
Most recent members' reviews (2)
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Concorde
What was the big fuss? I give it four stars because Leonardo is a good actor and it is directed well. I think we have seen enough of these period films and the ending was dissapointing.Worth seeing but not talking about.
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2 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Leonardo does Howard Hughes justice.
This is a cracking film! Beautifully filmed & directed. Cate Blanchett plays an excellent Katherine Hepburn and Leonardo shows he can act in a mature and serious role as the eccentric but brilliant Howard Hughes.
If I have one criticism of the film, it would be the ending it's too sudden after over two hours of build-up!! All-in-all a great film.
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48 out of 61 people found this review helpful
What was it actually about?
I watched the whole film with my partner, and by the end of it we were still none the wiser as to what it was actually about... the plot line seemed to be very vague, and jumped around a lot... Hughes' (Leo DiCaprio) psychological disorder was never properly addressed in the film, although it showed moments of great paranoia, and it felt like great chunks of plot had been cut, so for me the film didn't flow. I guess some people will love it, but I was very disappointed after all the hype :o(
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21 out of 21 people found this review helpful
Did not live up to expectations
I had heard such rave reviews of this film and had high hopes. The film is much too long and at times boring; there seems little actual story and it ends somewhat abruptly, not really giving too much of an insight into the recluse Howard Hughes became - his life in Las Vegas etc.
Interesting parts included the female screen stars he was involved with.....Guess its a must for Leonardo fans but for me it did not live up to expectations -
17 out of 21 people found this review helpful
Flying without wings
This film is very different to what I first imagined when I saw the trailer. It's a little bit slow at times and won't be liked by all but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It concentrates on the psychological evolution of Howard Hughes, a stud, a filmaker and ground-breaking Aviator - who is a little obsessed and more than a little strange. It's Scorsese's darkest movie since 'Taxi Driver', with a great cast and DiCaprio is excellent in the lead -unlike when he was miscast, producing a cringe worthy performance, in 'Gangs of New York' the last time he teamed up with Scorsese. -
10 out of 13 people found this review helpful
Scorsese scores- an entertaining mainstream flick
Magnificently enjoyable, if disappointingly superficial biopic, which tackles a life so complex and multifaceted that it’s not much of a surprise that the movie feels at times a sprawling mess; too often, important characters are shunned and whole strands of story left dangling. On the good side are the exhilarating flying sequences and DiCaprio’s terrific turn, which is doubtless a career-best. Rather less impressive is Scorsese’s slick, flashy Spielbergian direction, which is obviously pandering for Oscars.
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9 out of 11 people found this review helpful
A dishonest film, slightly incoherent - far from his best work
I'm not biased against Scorsese - at his best his work is stunning.
But the last 2 have been very dim shadows of his best work.
While this is certainly better than the lamentable GONY, it is not a good film.
It is dishonest - the little vignettes with no clear thread imply you need to know something about Highes to follow the film - but if you do know something about Hughes you know how much is missing, and how misleading the point the film stops at.
Minor scenes indicating Hughes problems are not sufficient - and, frankly, the opening scene with the lingering camerawork on the cloth moving over the naked boy is more than a little distasteful and certainly comes across as sexual.
DiCaprio does remind us he can act and act well. Blanchett - a superb actress - does caricature slightly. Beckinsale is a plank of wood.
Scorsese zealots will overrate as usual.
From me - a film fan - he really could do better. -
8 out of 9 people found this review helpful
Careful masterful epic
Di Caprio contributes great enthusiasm for this role and brings detail and realism to Scorcese's latest hit. The film is often slow, but never boring, and the subtle character development of Howard Hughes is magnificent. An enjoyable film. Perhaps aviation enthusiasts will enjoy more. Particularly engrossing is Di Caprio's portrayal of Hughe's isolation caused by his Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, which is extremely touching. Excellently crafted movie which delivers the spirit of the time superbly. Rent rent rent!
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8 out of 10 people found this review helpful
We have lift off......then stall
After watching the disappointing ?Gangs of New York? I was reluctant to go to the cinema to watch Scorsese?s new film ?The Aviator?. For the first hour I was proved wrong. The film was pacey and exciting immersing the viewer into 30s Hollywood, but then the film stalled.
?The Aviator? seemed to be made to act as an Oscar platform as elements such as the long scenes portraying Di Caprio?s acting went on for far too long. With a better pace and more zip this film could have been great rather than just average.
It?s sad to think that this may win an Oscar for best picture when Scorsese?s earlier films were so much better. For Scorsese fan boys I think its time they took off their rose tinted glasses and smelt the average.
(Based on cinema release) -
8 out of 10 people found this review helpful
IT DIVEBOMBED!!!
Oh My God!!!! How boring was this film!I was expecting a lot seeing as the trailers looked good, there was a lot of publicity surrounding the film and staring one of the best young actors in hollywood today but this was bad. The story is long and slow and in the end i reverted to forwarding past the boring conversations in the hope of something interesting..it never came. I switched off before the end which is something i NEVER do. I always try to finish the dullist films and books to say i at least gave it a chance but this was too much to ask for this film.
My advice is to not have high expectations of this film and then things can only get better. Big let down i am afraid. -
27 out of 53 people found this review helpful
A Truly Awesome Cinematic Experience
Martin Scorcese's latest film is surely the piece of work that will finally secure him that elusive Oscar. Perhaps the most overlooked director by the academy throughout the history of cinema, surely now is his time.
The Aviator, based on the extraordinary life of billionaire Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio), recreates 1920's - 1940's Hollywood with perfection. Hughes uses his great wealth, inherited from the family machine tool business, to bring together his two greatest passions: aviation and the movie business.
Amassing the world's largest private air force, Hughes ploughs $4 million of his own wealth into his movie spectacle 'Hell's Angels', a tribute to World War 1 fighter pilots. The production falters and more and more money is sunk into the project. Against all odds, the movie is a startling success and from there we follow Hughes' flirtation with Hollywood and the likes of Katharine Hepburn (Cate Blanchett) and Ava Gardner (Kate Beckinsale) through a series of highs and lows.
Having completed filming, Hughes transforms his air force into TWA turning his attention to aircraft design (The Hercules) and competing with Pan Am and it?s Chairman Juan Trippe (Alec Baldwin). Trippe's intention is to bring down TWA and it is through this stage of life that we see Hughes' on-off battle with madness, a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder. DiCaprio brings this to life masterfully and reinstates his place as one of Hollywood?s top contemporary actors.
He is superbly supported by Blanchett's Hepburn and Beckindale's Gardner both of who bring great depth of characterisation to their roles. This, together with Howard Shore's vibrant jazzy musical score and Dante Ferreti's production design, creates a truly wonderful cinematic experience that should captivate the academy's attention.
Knock knock...
Who's there?
Best Director: Martin Scorsese, who else?
Critics' reviews (6)
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It says something about Howard Hughes that he's been played on screen quite convincingly by such different actors as Tommy Lee Jones, Jason Robards, Dean Stockwell, ... read more »
- LOVEFiLM
-
If The Aviator lacks the punch of Martin Scorsese's earlier biopic Raging Bull, it's perhaps because Howard Hughes presents him with too much raw material. A millionaire at 18 (he inherited the Hughes Tool Company from his father), Hughes went on to become an aircraft designer and movie mogul, set air-speed records, date Hollywood's top stars and create Jane Russell's push-up bra in The Outlaw. Hughes's childhood is dismissed in a brief prologue that sets up his obsession with cleanliness, then it's straight on to the beginning of his Hollywood career. The film is uneven, seemingly unsure of whether its protagonist is hero or villain, but Leonardo DiCaprio brings an impressive intensity to the role of Hughes — even if he still looks too boyish for the role. Cate Blanchett is a treat as a rather Emma Thompson-like Katharine Hepburn, but Kate Beckinsale is hopelessly miscast as Ava Gardner.
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Fascinating, witty and detailed account of a complex man that concentrates on his years of success and glamour, though it hints at the his future as a obsessive, unhinged recluse.
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Scorsese's biopic is as successful, if not more, in capturing the spirit of an era as it is in capturing the essence of the man.
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Despite a pacy, technically brilliant but otherwise slightly ordinary first half-hour or so, Scorseses Howard... read more on Time Out
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Leonardo DiCaprio dazzles in Martin Scorsese's biopic
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Aviator, The - BLU-RAY Version
Martin Scorsese's THE AVIATOR is a lavish spectacle of a motion picture that harks back to Hollywood's Golden Era in telling the story of Howard Hughes, one of 20th-century America's most pioneering and influential figures. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the eccentric billionaire, Scorsese's biopic ...
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- The Aviator
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Martin Scorsese's THE AVIATOR is a lavish spectacle of a motion picture that harks back to Hollywood's Golden Era in telling the story of Howard Hughes, one of 20th-century America's most pioneering ... -
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