Contact (1997)
The problem with Jodie Foster's 1997 movie is this. Imagine spe nding nearly three hours listening to a joke such as: Why did the chicken cross the road? The punchline being: Because it wanted to.
Disappointed right?
That's the feeling you get waiting for the finale of this very expensive, clever and th ought provoking movie. However, that's not to say it's a bad film. The bulk of i t is like a thinking man's Independence Day with Foster as likeable as ever as D r Ellie Arroway.
She's a radio astronomer searching for some signal from another world that tells us we're not alone.
When she finally gets it - an encrypted TV signal of Hitler mixed with alien starship plans - slimy official Tom Skerritt steals her thunder and gets to ride in the ship.
However, complications develop and Foster steps in to save the day. Or does she?
Contact is a very expensive fi lm that falls back on revelations that just aren't that exciting or original.
Mo st film-goers will spot which way the plot is twisting from the word go. A shame as director Robert Zemeckis used to do this far better at breakneck pace with t he Back to the Future trilogy. Maybe the fact that he's now a dad and has Oscar- winner on his CV (Forrest Gump) means that he's tired of whiz bang effects and i s now more interested in human development stories.
The other major problem is a mis-cast Matthew McConnaughey as Foster's love interest.
He's just terrible, al l teeth and no substance.
Luckily co-star James Woods is excellent (as ever) and John Hurt delivers his most extraordinary performance for years as an enigmatic billionaire.
Contact is well worth a look but it's a pity the end didn't really justify the means.
