This is the kind of movie so many of us yearn to see: It's intense and intelligent, has something to say without being pedantic and presents complicated issues without condescending. It even boasts a solid cast, led by Don Cheadle (who's also a producer) and including Guy Pearce and Jeff Daniels. So why does "Traitor" feel more than a bit off? Writer-director Jeffrey Nachmanoff takes this tale of terrorism and espionage — based on idea from Steve Martin — and runs with it all over the world, from Sudan and Yemen to Chicago and Washington to London and Marseilles. And yet by the end, with its much-ballyhooed twist, the whole endeavor leaves you feeling more drained than enlightened. Perhaps because "Traitor" aims to be equal parts explosive action and serious-minded character drama, it never completely hits the mark in either regard. As pure entertainment, it's too dry; as a heady dissection of world affairs, it's too shallow. But through Cheadle's Samir Horn, "Traitor" does take the admirable step of trying to understand and explain the philosophy of Islamic extremism. Samir is a former U.S. special operations officer whose Muslim faith has led him into terrorist activity. Pearce co-stars as the FBI agent trying to track him down, even as bombings around the world continue to create chaos and carnage. Daniels has a few strong scenes as a CIA agent who knows more than he lets on to his government cronies. And Cheadle is, of course, as smart and subtle as ever.
'Hamlet 2'
Rated R
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The play's the thing in "Hamlet" and it is here, as well. It's just about the only thing that makes this intentionally cringe-inducing theatrical parody worth watching. Sure, Steve Coogan has his hilarious moments as a delusional drama coach struggling to save the arts program at a Tucson, Ariz., high school, but that's all there is in the movie: moments. By now we know the British comic is capable of grabbing hold of a character and never letting go (see: Alan Partridge), so his commitment to playing the arrogant-but-pathetic former actor Dana Marschz is without question. But the material director Andrew Fleming ("Dick") and co-writer Pam Brady ("Team America: World Police") give him is hit-and-miss, at best. A lot of it was probably funnier in the conceptual stage than in the actual execution. In between the individually funny parts, though, is a great morass of redundant, one-note slog, which we must endure while we wait for Dana's wild, wonderfully campy production, "Hamlet 2." It's a musical he hopes will revive not just the school's drama program but his life, both professionally and personally. To call him a has-been would be charitable; he's more like a never-was. This would, in theory, engender some sympathy for him, but Dana tends to be too obnoxiously self-possessed to deserve it | unlike Christopher Guest's sweetly vulnerable Corky St. Clair in the great "Waiting for Guffman," who shares similar aspirations of greatness. Catherine Keener co-stars as his disdainful wife, with Amy Poehler playing the ACLU lawyer who fights to keep the totally inappropriate production | and its jaunty, 1950s-style ditty, "Rock Me Sexy Jesus" — from being shut down.
'The Rocker'
Rated PG-13
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This might really have rocked if it didn't feel like a cover of a couple of superior comedies. The first and most obvious is "School of Rock." As a shlumpy, 40ish drummer who missed his shot at heavy metal stardom, Rainn Wilson is pretty much channeling Jack Black here: the volatile man-child outbursts, the intensely pure feelings about rock music, even some of the crazy eyeball stuff feels way too familiar. And Wilson's character, Robert "Fish" Fishman, similarly gets a chance at redemption when he hooks up with a high school band that unexpectedly finds itself on the rise. But there are also plenty of elements of "This Is Spinal Tap," one of the greatest musical comedies ever. Twenty years ago, Fish played drums for the up-and-coming Cleveland hair band Vesuvius, but the other members (led by Will Arnett in leopard-print tights, eyeliner and shaggy, blond hair) cast him aside to secure a record deal. Everything about the parody of this type of metal is very Tap-esque, from the gaudy clothes and cheesy songs to the on-stage explosions and offstage egos. Nevertheless, Wilson has an engaging, goofy energy about him, as does the movie itself | for the most part. Peter Cattaneo, who earned an Academy Award nomination for directing "The Full Monty," brings some of the same unabashed, let's-put-on-a-show vibe of that 1997 British-American film. Too bad the music is so tame, like something you'd hear on Radio Disney. Emma Stone, Teddy Geiger and the likable, nerdy Josh Gad play Fish's band mates, with Christina Applegate, Jane Lynch and Jeff Garlin among the seasoned supporting cast.
'Vicky Cristina Barcelona'
Rated PG-13
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You should hate these people, really — these smug American yuppies chatting gaily about golf, tennis and boating over red wine on a sun-splashed Spanish afternoon. You're also free to abhor the painters, poets and musicians who populate Barcelona and spend their bohemian days idly debating the merits of love and art — when they're not wrapped up in making them both, that is. Somehow, Woody Allen makes us not just tolerate these people but find ourselves engaged in their adventures in this, his strongest film in quite a while. It's a romantic comedy, yes, in his great tradition of absurdity and longing. And it's an easy European romp, though it's surely superior to Allen's recent trilogy of London-based movies. But it's also tinged with melancholy, letting us know Allen isn't just mocking his characters but feeling a certain amount of sympathy for them in their confusion, which inevitably evokes a similar response from his audience. Rebecca Hall and Allen's recent muse, Scarlett Johansson, co-star as the titular Vicky and Cristina, best friends spending the summer in Barcelona who couldn't be more different in terms of their deeds and dreams. Vicky is a practical and structured student; Cristina is a restless and passionate photographer. But they both respond in surprising ways to sexy artist Juan Antonio (an irresistible Javier Bardem), a stranger who invites them to spend the weekend with him. Penelope Cruz is a force of nature as Juan Antonio's tempestuous ex-wife: She's fiery, funny and impossible to stop watching.
'Fly Me to the Moon'
Rated G
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A well-intentioned exercise at blending education and family entertainment, this 3-D animated tale ends up being only mildly educational and not all that entertaining. The story of three flies that tag along with Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins on Apollo 11's moon shot is reminiscent of the moment in "Apollo 13" when the TV networks decide against airing a live feed from the astronauts. The reason? NASA had made space travel so routine, at least until that moment on the ill-fated flight, that it became boring. Likewise, despite its unusual story line, the movie is routine and on the cusp of boring for audiences accustomed to such meatier animated flicks as "WALL-E" and "Kung Fu Panda." Director Ben Stassen, whose company nWave has pioneered 3-D films for large-screen IMAX cinemas, has crafted a technically proficient cartoon whose decent visuals are held to Earth by cute but dull characters, bland action and uninspired dialogue. The voice cast includes Christopher Lloyd, Nicollette Sheridan, Tim Curry and Adrienne Barbeau.
'Star Wars: The Clone Wars'
Rated PG
1/2
While anything remotely "Star Wars" is potentially a welcome trek for hard-core fans, this will be a mixed thrill given that the saga returns to the big screen as a cartoon. George Lucas' prequel trilogy was so overloaded with computer-generated imagery that the digital animation of "Clone Wars" isn't that big of a leap. The somber tone of those three movies | chronicling the downfall of Anakin Skywalker from snotty teen to black-hearted Darth Vader | is gone, replaced with a variation of the campy humor and camaraderie that characterized the original trilogy. Still, a "Star Wars" movie should be an event. Whether because of its cartoony format or its relatively lightweight story, "Clone Wars" definitely is not an event. It's a fairly fun if forgettable little adventure that hurls Anakin and the rest of the gang into a kidnapping conspiracy and rescue amid a galactic civil war between clone soldiers and android troops. The movie is a glorified introduction to the "Clone Wars" animated series debuting this fall on TV | almost certainly a more appropriate home for a cartoon version of "Star Wars."
