Chock full o' clichés and humdrum dialog, "Stealth" is far from perfect, but it has all the elements the purest of eye-candy films can offer thanks to intense action sequences and a somewhat interesting storyline.
To avoid further disappointment should you actually decide to go see "Stealth," here are three things you must know:
1) Jamie Foxx is not the star. In fact, he gets third billing (AFTER Josh Lucas and Jessica Biel). If moviegoers knew this, they'd immediately assume that Foxx's character would just be the token black guy providing the comic relief as a side character. And they'd be absolutely correct.
The only reason Sony Pictures is marketing this as a Jamie Foxx film is because of his recent Oscar win for "Ray," even though "Stealth" was filmed long before the Oscars. Of course, there is no way to know if he would have gotten the lead role had he signed on to make the film after his win.
2) Josh Lucas, who usually plays side characters himself, is the star of the film and actually does a good job exerting his manhood as the white hero. Oh, and he's really, really cute.
3) "Stealth" is not nearly as bad as the trailers and commercials make it appear to be. In fact, most moviegoers are guaranteed to find it more entertaining than expected. For that reason alone, perhaps the marketing tactics are not as stupid as presumed. But on to the actual film...
Taking place in the near future, the film begins during a training sequence of three U.S. Navy stealth fighter jet pilots: Lt. Ben Gannon (Lucas), Kara Wade (Biel) and Henry Purcell (Foxx) whose jets are only referred to as "Talons."
When their commanding officer, Cpt. George Cummings (Sam Shepherd) informs the three that a fourth wingman will be joining them, egos flair, pride is threatened and feelings get hurt.
That odd man out turns out to be an artificial intelligence-based UCAV (Unarmed Combat Aerial Vehicle), named "EDI" (pronounced "Eddie"), which stands for Extreme Deep Invader. While they're still fresh in your mind, make up all the sexual innuendos you can. It's fun!
The plot (yes, there actually is one) kicks off once the new team of Talons return from a mission--bombing the hell outta some terrorists--and EDI is struck by lightening, screwing up his "neural network." From here, EDI, who's had the mind of his own, begins to use it to disobey orders and mark other targets for destruction.
This is where the trailers leave you, and so shall this reviewer so as not to give away too many of the impressive details of the story. However, some of the characters, including the mechanical one pretty flat.
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EDI, a combination of 2001's HAL and Knight Rider's KITT, has the personality of a petulant teenager, not something we'd expect from a higher form of intelligence.
Acting after "Ray" proves problematic for Jamie Foxx now that more audiences know his capabilities. And his minimal role in "Stealth" offers nothing really to speak highly of.
Jessica Biel, on the other hand, is the female who does all she can to out-fly and outshine her male costars proving that she is more than just the chick in a wifebeater running aimlessly throughout the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre."
If you thought he was cocky in "Sweet Home Alabama," "American Psycho" or "The Hulk," don't expect Josh Lucas to be much different. But he does attain some nobility as the loveable hero who saves the day. Albeit in a typical, predictable way.
However, some things aren't as predictable and there are even a couple of twists. For instance, the Talons' primary purpose is to bomb terrorist cells, but the film does nothing more than reference two terrorists from the Middle East. In fact, North Korea is the biggest foreign villain portrayed in the film.
"Stealth" director Rob Cohen ("xXx," "The Fast and the "Furious") is obviously no stranger to directing action-packed, testosterone-fueled flicks, but the intensity of some action scenes are deflated by the use of CGIs, a curse many films fall victim to nowadays.
The Talon jets, modeled after an actual fighter-bomber called the Northrop Grumman Switchblade, look hot and fly even hotter by hitting Mach 5; something not easy to film. Therefore, just about every scene with a jet in action has been computer generated which doesn't give you that feeling of danger as Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer provided in "Top Gun."
Despite this, for every animated flying sequence, there are real explosions. Big explosions. No, massive explosions. For that element alone, "Stealth" offers something that will keep everyone's attention.
Granted, film aficionados with high expectations will be disappointed with it, but all the other average moviegoers who merely want to be entertained will be pleasantly surprised.
Guys will love "Stealth" because it has everything any guy would ever want to see in an action flick: jets, fast-paced action, bombings, explosions, even a few gun fights, and Jessica Biel in a bikini. Girls will love it because of Biel's empowered feminism. And, more impressively, Josh Lucas and Jamie Foxx also go shirtless.
Even if you don't like the film, it has a great soundtrack, including four tracks from Incubus-three new and "Aqueous Transmission" from Morning View. The film also features "Bullet-Proof Skin," the first track from Gavin Rossdale's new band Institute.
If you don't mind wasting your money on a mediocre film that's moderately entertaining, "Stealth" is the perfect choice. Just save three bucks by going to the matinee. You'll leave feeling as if you've gotten your money's worth.