"The Aviator"

The Aviator is a biopic on the triumphant and, at times, tragic life of Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio). Hughes was arguably one of the most influential people of the 20^th Century. His considerable influence was felt in both the film and aviation industries. Hughes was many things and the movie documents each of those aspects to his personality. He was a brilliant engineer, visionary film director, savvy businessman, and millionaire playboy who bedded the likes of Ava Gardner (Kate Beckinsale), Jean Harlow (Gwen Stefani), and Katherine Hepburn (played to perfection by Cate Blanchett).

At times, he was also certifiably insane. Despite the mental illness, Hughes puts up a fight against those who would orchestrate his downfall. As I have said in a previous post, I will not give away the plots to the movies I review. You’ll just have to watch the movie to see if he prevails. (If you’re a history buff, you probably already know though.)

If you’re expecting a look into his later, more eccentric Las Vegas years, expect to be disappointed. Despite its very long run-time, The Aviator never looks at the years leading up to Hughes’ death.

With a nearly 3 hour run-time, the movie can seem like a marathon run. And in the hands of any director but Scorsese or any lead but DiCaprio, watching that marathon would seem like a chore. But this is Scorsese and DiCaprio at their finest and teamed up. That makes The Aviator far from a chore to watch.

It still seems a little long, though, so I give The Aviator a rating of -8 on the B.E. scale. It would have been a solid 9, but I deducted a point for being an hour too long.