The Core is one of
the most scientifically inaccurate films around, and in Hollywood there is
plenty of competition for that accolade. The premise of The Core is the Earth’s core has stopped moving, which will wipe
out all the life on Earth in a year’s time, instead of instantaneously if it
happened in real-life. A group of scientists, inventors, space navigators and the
obligatory computer nerd team up to drill down into the Earth, led by geologist
Josh Keyes (Aaron Eckhart), in a ship made of ‘unobtainium’ to kick start the
core by deploying nukes. Because if movies have taught us anything, it’s all
impending apocalyptic situations can be solved by nukes.
The plot and dialogue is absurd with all of the B-Movie clichés
you could ask for, provided by writers John Rogers and Cooper Layne. And that’s
putting aside the science in The Core.
The film should come with a health warning to any scientist watching it: ‘May
cause excessive self-inflected hair loss’. Christopher Young’s score is
bizarre, at points it sounded like Young had ripped music from a video arcade
game. It is a ridiculous film, but it is entertaining. The cast, at least, seem
to realise it’s a silly movie and they roll with it. There are plenty of laughable
moments: confused pigeons dive-bombing into buildings and windows, the casual
landscaping with lasers and the completely outdated scenes of computer hacking to
name some of them.
Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank may own the top credit spots,
but Stanley Tucci has the top performance in The Core. His role as celebrity scientist Dr. Zimsky is a blast to
watch, going from pompously arrogant to chewing up the scenery in panic. Eckhart
plays the saviour of Earth, geologist Josh Keyes, delivering lectures,
exposition and one-liners with ease and cheek. Hilary Swank captures astronaut
Beck’s tenacity nicely, and performs her character’s arc well. Delroy Lindo has
a lot of fun as inventor Dr. Braz, gleefully playing with his toys and butting
heads with Dr. Zimsky.
Undoubtedly The Core
is a bad film, but it is the best kind of bad to watch, ideally with a group of
friends and plenty of alcohol.
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