A good thriller spoilt by bad chemistry (Entrapment (DVD))

Member Name: pmcds

Product:	Entrapment (DVD)
Date:	23/09/08 (37 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good tense action

Disadvantages: Chemistry between Connery and Jones

Entrapment is the 1999 film that centres on trickery from all angles and has you guessing from the start to the finish. It stars Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones. Jones was on form at the time, ahving had many starring roles. She was just breaking into Hollywood and had forged a partnership with Michael Douglas. She could seemingly do no wrong. Connery was nearing the end of his acting career, but coming off great performances in other films, this seemed to be a great role for him. Director Jon Amiel looked to be able to give some fresh injection into an unlikely pairing of stars, and the scope was good for this film. So, di I like it? Unfortunately not!

The plot is quite a clever one. Jones plays Virginia Baker, who is sent by an insurance firm to help capture art thief Robert MacDougal, played by Sean Connery. She first of all needs to gain his trust, and then persuade him to let her into all of his secrets, and even steal some art together. Sounds a simple plot but leaves a lot of scope open to play with it and make it very good indeed. The problem does not lie here - the plot is sound enough.

The acting is okay, I guess. Connery and Jones do make a good pair of actors, but the problem comes with the romantic side. There is a great deal of flirting invovled between the two leads, and Jones' character Baker is attempting to seduce him. We are unsure whether she is pretending or has actually fallen for his charms (this is Sean Connery after all!), and this confusion coupled with what felt almost inappropriate flirting, really put me off and made it hard to enjoy the film.

The flirtation between the two is necessary for the film to pan out as it does all the way through, but perhaps the way it was done was not spot on. MacDougal is portrayed as an old man who feels his age and acts it, whereas Baker is hyperactive and energetic and keen throughout. If Connery had been allowed to use his charm a bit more, or if his appearance had been of a younger character, the film may have worked for me a bit more. As it is, I cannot comfortably watch this all the way through and keep an open mind.

Were I to set this aside, the plot and other performances are actually very good. The scenery is marvellous, and the soundtrack is very fitting, with enough tension and intense filming to give us a good thriller at times, and a relaxing adventure at others. There are some good backup performances from Ving Rhames and Will Patton, and a nice little cameo from David Yip. The scenes towards the end of the film as a daring heist is attempted are breathtaking, and these factors are more than enough to drag the film up from a low score for me to give it a fair 3 stars out of 5.

Were I to take away the awkwardness I felt from watching the on screen chemistry between Jones and Connery, I would consider this a good film. As it is, it gets an average rating from me. The DVD is available to buy from amazon.co.uk currently for £4.98.

Summary: Would be a very good film were it not for the bad combo of Connery and Jones