Official Synopsis:
Filled with intense action, Annapolis is an inspirational tale of courage and honor that will keep you riveted. As hard as it is to get into the most elite military academy in the country, surviving behind its walls is beyond belief. Young Jake Huard (James Franco) has always known he has what it takes to make the grade. But once inside, everything Jake thought he knew is challenged in ways he never could have imagined. Standing between him and his lifelong ambition of becoming an officer in the U.S. Navy is his company commander - Midshipman Lt. Cole (Tyrese Gibson), a relentless and merciless battle-seasoned Marine. Thrilling and exhilarating, Annapolis reaffirms the power of believing in your dreams.
Our Take:
Annapolis is pretty much exactly what it looked like in the trailer: a Disney-fied version of countless military academy training movies. Like similar movies such as G.I. Jane, Annapolis tells the story of a go-it-alone-wolf who must fight against the odds and a superior officer who has it in for him to prove that he's made of The Right Stuff. The major difference with Annapolis (besides that its lead, James Franco, is much prettier than Demi Moore) is that it throws in a boxing element, as young Jake Huard proves himself in The Brigades, a naval boxing tournament.
Despite it's clichéd storylines and occasionally stunted dialogue, Annapolis succeeds in what it sets out to do: present a teen-friendly military academy movie with chaste romance, pretty people (apparently, there's all of one person on staff at the naval academy over the age of 25), and lots of slow-motion musical montages. It may not break any new ground but it's a serviceable and ultimately entertaining flick.
This is a pretty typical Buena Vista DVD release, meaning the disc comes with a handful of extra features, but nothing too extraordinary.
* Plebe Year: The Story of Annapolis (11 minutes) - A look at how the film came to be.
* Commentary - Listen to director Justin Lin, writer Dave Collard, and editor Fred Raskin discuss the making of the film.
* Deleted Scenes - Seven deleted scenes with a total running time of about 12 minutes. You can also view these scenes with optional commentary by the participants listed above.
* The Brigades (10 minutes) - A look at the filming of the boxing sequences. Here we get to see some interviews with James Franco.
James Franco is one of those young actors who hasn't quite broken big yet, despite his appearances in both Spider-Man movies as Harry Osborne. Annapolis didn't propel him into the stratosphere, but it does showcase that he's an affable young actor that teenage girls probably adore. Overall, Annapolis is worth a watch, if your expectations aren't too high.
Overall Picture:
Movie: B
DVD: B
- Mike Spring
Editor
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