If I really had it in for computer-generated cinematic effects I wouldn’t say the following: I liked Davy Jones’ tentacle face in the second “Pirates of the Caribbean.” Johnny Depp’s mincing-sot routine is, of course, the non-digital reason people go to these pictures. But the films carry a boatload of computer-generated effects, and on May 25, “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” will unveil its 170-minute attempt to wow us anew.
As all that crud swirling around Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz in the “Mummy” movies proved, CG imagery is nothing without a director implementing the technology wisely. The movies can show us anything, but too many movies settle for showing us everything, slathering the latest technology like so much lard.
Not that people mind a little lard. The spring smash “300,” which is so CG-crazed you might as well be peering at it via bronze-tinted nickelodeon, seduced millions into a very simple, very violent tale because it had a look — phony and Coppertone-y and ripping off “Gladiator” every other shot, but a look nonetheless. The look plus the abs plus the Xbox-style slaughter did the trick.
Last fall, “Casino Royale” conquered the masses in a wholly different way. The moment 007 Daniel Craig took off after terrorist Sebastien Foucan, all over the Madagascar construction site, you could feel the filmmakers’ relish in concocting a sequence of kinetic velocity and minimal visual trickery. Audiences adored it.
In addition to “The Simpsons Movie” (July 27) and a few others, this summer I’m especially eager to see “The Bourne Ultimatum” (Aug. 3). Coming off the second, bracing “Bourne” picture and “United 93,” director Paul Greengrass is among the most valuable special effects in the Hollywood machine, because he’s not that into the effects themselves. His approach entails its own kind of artifice; the restless hand-held camerawork and barely lucid editing rhythms risk becoming stylistic tics. Yet people respond to Greengrass’ methods for good reason: They’re vivid and effective, and they bring you closer to the story. They work in docudrama and in pulp. I hope they work again. And here’s hoping that at least one of the big-ticket franchise attractions offers a CG sight or two for sore eyes.
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mjphillips@tribune.com
“Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” opens June 15.
Summer movies coming to a theater near you. PAGES 6-7
The cast of “Shrek the Third” chats about the film. PAGE 9
On the set of the new “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie. PAGE 8
