The Aviator

Leonardo DiCaprio (Re)run “You taught me to fly Howard, I’ll take the wheel.” The Aviator is one of those films I respect more than I actually enjoy. Leonardo DiCaprio carrying a film like this at 30 is seriously impressive. His performance is very strong, especially in how he portrays Howard Hughes’ descent into obsessive behavior. He makes it uncomfortable in a very effective way whenever he’s on screen, you feel that tension. The film is also filled with strong performances across the board. I especially wish we got more of Cate Blanchett, who is excellent in the scenes she’s in. That said, it never really grabbed me. I’ve noticed that I tend to struggle with films set in the 20s–40s if the subject matter doesn’t immediately interest me, and that was definitely the case here. It made it harder to stay fully engaged throughout. It also didn’t feel like a typical Martin Scorsese film to me. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but if I didn’t know he directed it, I don’t think I would have guessed. It’s clearly very well made, but it lacks that distinct edge I associate with his best work. The last 30–45 minutes especially lost me. I understand what the film is going for with Hughes’ decline, but it didn’t hold my attention the way I hoped it would. I also wasn’t a fan of how the flying sequences were handled. They didn’t really work for me visually. In the end, it’s a good film with a great central performance, but not one I see myself revisiting.