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Review

Outstanding special effects combine with a story that's not as clichéd as it could have been to make for a rip-roaring, action-flavored entertainment. Based on a true incident that occurred in 1991, the story follows a group of Gloucester, Massachusettes, fishermen who head to sea during one of the worst storms of the century. Clooney is Billy Tyne, the captain of the swordfishing boat Andrea Gail, whose last few fishing trips haven't been profitable. He decides one more excursion should right everyone's financial wrongs (especially his own), and with a crew of six sails for a final outing of the season. There's no arguing that the special effects are the main attraction here (and what effects they are). But The Perfect Storm is more than Twister at sea. The screenplay, though lacking in subtlety, manages to create sympathetic characters with some depth to them, and sustains credible tension throughout. Director Petersen makes sure to that, allowing his camera to go places you wouldn't think possible. A good ensemble and a keen sense of atmosphere both on and off the boat go a long way in making the viewer forget the occasional lapse in narrative.