Jake Huard may have waited his whole life to join the Navy in "Annapolis," but moviegoers should probably wait a bit more: until the movie is released on DVD.
Despite its predictable plot and underdeveloped characters, "Annapolis" still makes for a mildly entertaining movie. Director Justin Lin ("Better Luck Tomorrow") tells a paint-by-numbers, coming-of-age story of a young cadet enrolled in Annapolis Naval Academy. Lin could have taken a more thoughtful approach, but instead decided to smear it with the "teen movie" spin.
Movies that concentrate on the dysfunctional realism of boot camp are usually somewhat thought provoking. Even though "Jarhead" is littered with teen antics, director Sam Mendes provides a more realistic portrayal of boot camp by capturing the anxieties of a soldier.
James Franco ("Spider-Man") does a mediocre job of playing Jake, the hard-nosed townie that lives across from the academy. His performance doesn't spoil the plot, but he doesn't arouse the viewer's sympathies either.
The most appealing aspect of "Annapolis" is the boxing side-story. The subplot involves a boxing tournament within the school. The scenes are fast-paced and intense, holding their own with any other boxing flick. Despite the captivating nature of the scenes, the story was not congruent with the rest of the movie.
Tyrese Gibson ("Four Brothers") stars as Cole, a former Marine and Jake's commanding officer. Although Gibson looked the part, his past role in "2 Fast 2 Furious" makes it hard for the viewer to perceive him as a deadpan commanding officer. The second that Lin recruited Gibson as a lead in his film, he threw away the integrity of the entire production. Such was the downfall of "Baby Boy."
Early on in the film, Jake is seen hitting on a girl at a bar who later turns out to be one of his commanding officers, a shameless rip-off from the storyline for "Top Gun." In fact, "Annapolis" is a movie comprised of clich?(c)s stolen from other movies. Every scene is predictable and the plot lacks individuality.
Jordana Brewster ("The Fast and the Furious") plays Jake's other commanding officer and love interest named Ali, who may be too good-looking for the role. Beauty and Navy-chick boxing expert don't seem to be a likely combination; she is even easy on the eyes.
At the heart of "Annapolis" is a touching story of an underdog who fulfills a childhood dream when everyone told him he couldn't. Even though these kinds of movies are successful year after year, "Annapolis" misses the spice that would make it memorable.
Jake spends most of the movie with a huge chip on his shoulder, acting belligerently towards his superiors and friends. Rebelliousness is sometimes admirable, like in "The Shawshank Redemption," but Jake comes off like an arrogant punk.
What Jake's character lacks in intensity and depth, his fellow cadets make up for with comic relief. His out-of-shape roommate, Nance, plays the only cadet who fumbles more than Jake does. The two form a chummy relationship in which they help each other out, but it's easier to root for the likeable Nance than the main character.
The second half of the movie suddenly switches to the boxing tournament. Even though it is unrealistic for Jake to be in training all day and all night, "Annapolis" doesn't neglect to incorporate a fantastic workout montage and with the steamy Jordana Brewster training him, these scenes, were, um, aesthetically pleasing. The actual fights were full of hard hits and innovative cinematography.
It is hard to completely condemn "Annapolis," because it is actually enjoyable to watch. However, the story feels all too familiar.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
