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Film review

Yes, you have seen this before

By STEVE PERSALL
Published January 26, 2006

The term "original screenplay" is stretched to the limit by David Collard's credit for writing Annapolis. The resemblance to other, better movies is too close to ignore. Think Rocky mixed with a certain Richard Gere hit and you have Annapolis, which could be subtitled An Officer and a Heavyweight.

James Franco (Tristan & Isolde) is a lightweight actor picked to play Jake Huard, introduced as he is pulling himself off the mat, which he will continue to do in various forms throughout the film. Jake appears fated to grunt work building ships when he would rather attend the U.S. Naval Academy. He gets that chance when a spot opens at the last minute.

Jake is a loner, a rebel who won't accept help from anyone. That annoys his commanding officer, Midshipman Lt. Cole (Tyrese Gibson), who is training to be the next Lou Gossett Jr. Cole makes Jake's plebe life unbearable in an effort to make him quit. It almost works, but those things never do in movies such as these. Jake has to stick around to face Cole in the annual academy boxing tournament; a humiliating sparring session suggests Jake is out of his league, as well as his weight class.

Jake embarks on a brutal training regimen, packing on pounds to make the heavyweight minimum of 185 pounds with advice from an overweight plebe Nance (Vicellous Reon Shannon). The workouts are shaped by upperclassman Ali (Jordana Brewster), cut from the same military cloth as Demi Moore in A Few Good Men. Jake and Ali are attracted to each other but rules prevent their dating. Hard to believe Cole or someone else wouldn't notice them flirting and squash it.

Annapolis operates like a recruit scrambling to make his monthly quota. It plays up the pride of naval service yet doesn't describe exactly how much effort goes into an academy education. The whole deal looks like one obstacle course, a little hazing, a few nods to classes and homework and a lot of time in the gym. Even Top Gun seemed more credible than this.

Franco's acting ranges from A (for anxious) to B (for brooding). Playing James Dean so well in a TV movie seems to have stunted his ability to play anything except sensitive, even when circumstances beg for more. Gibson has an impressive glower and ramrod presence. Brewster is merely window dressing, while Shannon fares best among the other plebes, providing comic relief and a tragic boost Jake needs to put up a good fight.

The most disappointing thing about Annapolis is behind the camera. Director Justin Lin made a terrific debut a few years ago with Better Luck Tomorrow, a harsh tale of juvenile delinquency more honest than most of its kind. Now he's just another promising talent seduced by Hollywood into run of the mill projects such as this and another sequel to The Fast and the Furious due later this year. He should drop and give us 20 pushups, or at least one more challenging film.

- Steve Persall can be reached at 727 893-8365 or persall@sptimes.com

Grade: C+

Director: Justin Lin

Cast: James Franco, Tyrese Gibson, Jordana Brewster, Donnie Wahlberg, Roger Fan, Vicellous Reon Shannon, Chi McBride, Wilmer Calderon

Screenplay: David Collard

Rating: PG-13; boxing violence, profanity, brief sexual content

Running time: 98 min.

[Last modified January 25, 2006, 10:09:06]