The plot of this film concerns the son of a janitor at Yankee Stadium named Yankee Irving, who has to go off to rescue the stolen bat of Babe Ruth. The bat was stolen by a pitcher on the Chicago Cubs who would only be allowed to pitch if he retrieved the bat so the Babe wouldn't be able to hit in the World Series.
Its a weak story. The problem is that the story is trying very hard to have a point, that anyone can be a hero, that it loads itself up with clichés (For example the hobos with hearts of gold) and pat moments (there is no racism) that you never really fear for our hero or his quest. The plot completely falls apart at the end with a twist that is so dumb that it breaks believability (guess who hits a home run in the world series?). Its a disappointment.
The sad thing is that this film does have some pluses. William Macy's villain is absolutely vile. He's one of the great bad guys in years. You really do hate this guy. He's a fantastic antagonist for our hero and in a better film he would have been dynamite, instead he's wasted in a series of cheap gags who's punchlines are telegraphed way in advance. Yet its because he's the perfect evil force to Yankee Irving's hero that you continue to watch, just so you can see him get his just desserts.
The film also has a design that is beautiful to look at. Say what you will about the recent glut of computer animated films, this is possibly the most realistic of the lot. Its shot, for the most part like a live action film and it adds a nice dimension to the film. This is the first of the lot that really should have been made into 3D. I am in love with the idea of the train sequence in 3D.
Ultimately its a miss fire. Its a film with some good stuff and some bad stuff, that some how manages to trip itself up.
Wait for cable
Its a weak story. The problem is that the story is trying very hard to have a point, that anyone can be a hero, that it loads itself up with clichés (For example the hobos with hearts of gold) and pat moments (there is no racism) that you never really fear for our hero or his quest. The plot completely falls apart at the end with a twist that is so dumb that it breaks believability (guess who hits a home run in the world series?). Its a disappointment.
The sad thing is that this film does have some pluses. William Macy's villain is absolutely vile. He's one of the great bad guys in years. You really do hate this guy. He's a fantastic antagonist for our hero and in a better film he would have been dynamite, instead he's wasted in a series of cheap gags who's punchlines are telegraphed way in advance. Yet its because he's the perfect evil force to Yankee Irving's hero that you continue to watch, just so you can see him get his just desserts.
The film also has a design that is beautiful to look at. Say what you will about the recent glut of computer animated films, this is possibly the most realistic of the lot. Its shot, for the most part like a live action film and it adds a nice dimension to the film. This is the first of the lot that really should have been made into 3D. I am in love with the idea of the train sequence in 3D.
Ultimately its a miss fire. Its a film with some good stuff and some bad stuff, that some how manages to trip itself up.
Wait for cable