Knight and Day

It’s been a while since we’ve had a film that has emerged from good old Development Hell and Knight and Day is solid proof that if some films are that painful to get onto the screen in the first place they’re probably best being strangled at birth. You can read elsewhere about the various stars and directors that have been attached to this vehicle in the past, but its Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz who won (ahem) through in the end with James Mangold picking up the directorial duties. I’d love to know if Mangold ever realised what a disaster this was going to be, but the fact he dabbled in the screenplay suggests he knew not all was right. Speaking of that, over its various guises the screenplay has had over ten people at least get their mitts on it (seven of them alone for this final version) and boy does it show. This has been a disaster at the box office, with the blame seemingly being placed on Cruise and Diaz. However, this is such a confused movie that I think that even Grant and Hepburn in their prime would have struggled to rescue this. In terms of plot, we have Cruise starring as a (rogue) secret agent who ends up with Diaz by his side as they fight to stay alive against the usual shadowy forces. Hmm, it needed seven people to come up with that? Anyway, despite a decent opening scene, it soon becomes apparent that this film is a series of action scenes and not much else. Nothing wrong with that in some cases of course, but usually it needs to be backed up in other areas. That doesn’t happen here. Cruise seems unsure whether to play it straight or not, Diaz (looking oddly unsexy) seems to have just graduated from the University of Over Acting, the tone is all confused (especially in some violent scenes) and the special effects are pretty ropey. Are there any plus points? If you got a free ticket you might not be so critical, but people who did pay have spoken out meaning that other lucky ones have now paid with their feet.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
A mildly entertaining start very quickly gives way to utter gubbins. The expression about something that you can’t polish is something the studio obviously has never heard of. Rating: 3/10.