The Tourist
Columbia Pictures
2010
Critics have not spared ‘The Tourist’
for flopping at the box office. The combined effect of the smoldering
and mysterious Angelina Jolie and the brilliant Johnny Depp, who sent
us into paroxysms of laughter as hilarious Captain Jack Sparrow in the
‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ series, was not enough to give the ‘Tourist’
a pass.
Jolie’s character, Elise, is yet again
portrayed as the mysterious sexy female who can get away with almost
everything. Even Depp who plays Frank Tupelo seems like a ‘fish out of
water’ here as there is nothing challenging about this role compared to
sterling performances in the past. It seems the filmmakers decided Depp
was one more Hollywood leading man who is yet to cast alongside Jolie
and went ahead to make it happen.
Jolie is casted as the invincible
female whose every move is watched by Scotland Yard and Italian
Interpol because of her relationship with Alexander Pearce. Yet she
eludes them even when she is easily within reach; another esque to her
‘you-can’t-beat-her-down’ character from ‘Salt’ (August 2010). Elise
Clifton-Ward emerges on us out of nowhere and follows the same
secretive paths of secret letters and train rides in search of a face
we do not see.
Alexander Pearce is also wanted by the
authorities and a dangerous gang lord. Then we meet the nondescript
Frank Tupelo, schoolteacher and tourist visiting Venice,who is
attracted to Elise. From the start it is easy to see that there was
intended to be a twist to keep the audience wondering. But the idea of
‘nothing is as it seems’ goes wrong when you can see through the
blindfold, no thanks to suspense being foisted on a trite plot.
The film drags on in the beginning with cat and mouse chases and
stale rescue missions between Elise, Tupelo and the authorities. ‘The
Tourist’ is one movie that tries too hard. You wonder if it was
intended to be drama or action or thriller or a little bit of all.
Perhaps Jolie needs to take a breather from the femme fatale/action
hero roles she is famous for. One thing is clear though Depp needs to
steer clear of flat movies that do nothing to illuminate his talent.
