In 1991, 3 major weather fronts combined to form the worst storm in recorded history which hammered the entire East Coast and killed 13 people. 6 of which were on board the Andrea Gail, a fishing boat that sank during the storm off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts. It was called The Perfect Storm because a massive cold front from the east, plus a high pressure system from the north and combined with Hurricane Grace. What makes the storm interesting is that most storms that form on the East Coast tend to go out to sea and dissipate. The 1991 Perfect Storm, as it was called by Sebastian Junger, author of The Perfect Storm and the National Weather Service, went out to sea and then came back. Over a 4 day period, waves were peaking at 100 feet in the open ocean. The storm caused over 200 million in damage across the East Coast. The 2000 film, The Perfect Storm is about the crew of the Andrea Gail. Just a word of caution, a lot of what you see in the film, while based on fact, is somewhat fictitious, so that it'll add to the drama of the film.
The film opens as the Andrea Gail, captained by Billy Tyne(George Clooney)comes back in to port with it's latest, less than impressive catch of swordfish. Tyne decides to head out further to sea to break out of his slump. He takes his crew which includes, Robert Shatford(Mark Wahlberg), Michael Moran(John Hawkes), Dale Murphy(John C. Reilly), David Sullivan(William Fichtner), and Alfred Pierre(Allen Payne). They go out further than most of the other swordfish captains have dared to venture. While they are out catching fish, a massive storm is brewing off the coast of Massachusetts. After an equipment failure forces them to stop fishing, they decide to head home, through the monster that is churning in the Atlantic.
Directed by Wolfgang Peterson, The Perfect Storm is spectacular. The storm scenes are some of the most intense and brutal I've seen. But some of the best scenes are character moments, not just on the Andrea Gail, but with the people that were left behind while Tyne's crew went out to fish. When news of the storm hits the airwaves, it affects everyone. Not just the wives of the crew, but their boss, Bob Brown(Michael Ironside) and fellow captain Linda Greenlaw(Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio). While the storm scenes were filmed in front of massive blue-screens, the rest of the film was filmed on location in Gloucester, Massachusetts. With the input of not only the actual natives of the port, but also the families and actual people who actually braved the storm, which lends credibility to the film. The acting is excellent across the board. George Clooney is fantastic as always, but the ones that really surprised me were Mark Wahlberg, and John C. Reilly. Of course, there's more going on in The Perfect Storm than the Andrea Gail's story, as there were other people who were caught in the maelstrom, which included a Coast Guard chopper. As I said, the film's storm scenes are extremely intense and literally have you at the edge of your seat. If you have a large screen TV, the storm scenes might actually make you sea-sick, they are done so well. The film really has you connect with the characters. The funeral scene in the film, literally had me in tears, because it's so heartbreaking. You root for these guys to make it, and it really hits you when the reality of the situation sets in. But it's a great story of the struggle to survive against nature.
With the great acting, visual effects and direction, The Perfect Storm is one of the most thrilling movies I've seen in a long time. I highly recommend this film. 9.5/10.
