Title: Spielberg does another one by the numbers
Product review: Once again Speilberg shows that he knows how to push the buttons -- right from the opening scene, where the action is illuminated by lightning flashes at unrealistically short intervals. Go for the reptile brain with those flashing lights, Steve. Where this movie finally lost it for me, though, was in the courtroom. Why would Spielberg hire one of the world's great actors (Anthony Hopkins) to play one of America's great orators, have him deliver a wonderful speech, and then paste a syrupy musical soundtrack over the whole thing? This seems to me typical of the director's work -- his estimation of us is that we lack the intelligence or emotional depth to frame our own reactions to events, so he manipulates us with flashing lights and elevator music. Unfortunately, judging by the customer ratings this and other movies of his have received, his estimate of the majority of movie-goers is correct.
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