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I think Tom Cruise gets a bad wrap sometimes. His somewhat strange behavior in interviews (Oprah comes to mind) can give people a perception of him as a person that can (at times) create a negative vibe toward his film work. That said, I’ve always maintined that Cruise, despite what you may feel about him personally, consistently gives 110% with every role he plays on the big screen. He is, in every since of the word, a solid entertainer. In the new film KNIGHT AND DAY, he reteams with Cameron Diaz after their previous pairing in the often misunderstood VANILLA SKY. But unlike their last outing together, this new movie doesn’t try to get cerebral or overly heavy. It is instead concentrating on showing the audience a good time, and in that regard it works rather well.
June Havens (Cameron Diaz) is a recently single woman boarding a plane and preparing for her younger sister (Maggie Grace) to get married. At the airport she meets Roy Miller (Cruise), a rather charming man who winds up on the same flight with her. At first their interaction seems serendipitous, and potentially romantic. But once the plane hits the air, Roy ends up (in self-defense) killing everyone on board, including the pilots, and crash landing them in a field. The next day June wakes up in her home, finding notes left from Roy asking her to not speak of their interaction. She quickly finds herself being questioned by mysterious government agents, led by Agent Fitzgerald (Peter Sarsgaard), and begins to wonder if Roy is a good guy or bad guy. The two meet up again, and start finding themselves in one perilous adventure after another, with June never knowing in her newfound friend is someone to be trusted or feared.
KNIGHT AND DAY feels like a hybrid of several films that came before it. Take a movie like MR. AND MRS. SMITH, dash in some TRUE LIES, and perhaps a little BIRD ON A WIRE, and mix them all together. It’s all rather familiar, but nonetheless highly entertaining. I found myself calling it the perfect “compromise” movie, as women will undoubtedly enjoy the romantic aspects of it, while action junkies will be enthralled by the impressive stunts and chase scenes. James Mangold (3:10 TO YUMA) directs the picture, keeping things moving at a respectable pace and running time (110 minutes), and never getting overly sappy or derivative. Tom Cruise is at his most likable here, exuding all the charm and charisma we know him to be capable of, and also showing he can be a badass and hold his own throughout any fist fight or chase scene. Cameron Diaz is not as impressive, but still rather likable and identifiable. I find her frequently playing what appears to be the same character in just about every film she does, but one could always use the old adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” when it comes to her performances. The supporting cast does a pretty fine job as well. Peter Sarsgard has fun playing the government foil with a Southern accent creeping in and out of his dialogue. Paul Dano shows up as a quirky young scientist, showing hints of emotional investment in the wonder and potential dangers of his own creation. Academy Award nominee Viola Davis (DOUBT) has a small role as the head of the agency chasing after Cruise, and even Dale Dye (SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, now looking much older and seasoned) shows up for a few minutes. There’s a terrific score by the always impressive John Powell, which compliments the action nicely.
The key to this movie is that at it’s core, when you put aside whatever shortcomings it may be accused of, it’s a fun and enjoyable ride. I think like many at first I was expecting to not like KNIGHT AND DAY, but I ended up having a blast. Again, it’s nothing terribly new or different, but as a big summer movie, it’s a pleasurable ride. In some ways it reminded me of the summer action movies of the late-1980’s and early 90’s, when it was all about giving you something cool to look at while you munched on your popcorn. It’s a popcorn flick that both sexes can enjoy, and in the end that’s all that needs to be said. At the very least you’ll have a good time waiting for Cruise to return to his MISSION IMPOSSIBLE role, which I believe is next on the agenda. Check it out and let us know what you think.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
