SECOND NATURE
* * (2002, 91 minutes, Unrated)
Now entering the Alec Baldwin Dead Zone.
The kids know Alec Baldwin for his wickedly funny, award-winning portrayal of NBC network
executive Jack Donaghy on "30 Rock." If you're a lady "of a certain age," you most likely remember
Alec Baldwin as the sexy preacher Joshua Rush on "Knots Landing." And if you're somewhere in
between, you remember Alec Baldwin as Jack Ryan in The Hunt for the Red October and from that
bitchin' scene in Glengarry Glen Ross. If you haven't seen it before, do yourself a favor and check it
out now:
* * (2002, 91 minutes, Unrated)
Now entering the Alec Baldwin Dead Zone.
The kids know Alec Baldwin for his wickedly funny, award-winning portrayal of NBC network
executive Jack Donaghy on "30 Rock." If you're a lady "of a certain age," you most likely remember
Alec Baldwin as the sexy preacher Joshua Rush on "Knots Landing." And if you're somewhere in
between, you remember Alec Baldwin as Jack Ryan in The Hunt for the Red October and from that
bitchin' scene in Glengarry Glen Ross. If you haven't seen it before, do yourself a favor and check it
out now:
Hope you enjoyed that, cuz it was infinitely better than anything in this movie.
Second Nature, along with such other films as The Cat in the Hat and Pearl Harbor, falls into the
Alec Baldwin Dead Zone. I'm talking about that phase where, like William Shatner before him,
Alec Baldwin morphed from a sleek leading man to a waterlogged, scene-chewing character
actor. Much like puberty, it was not a graceful transformation.
In this film, Alec Baldwin IS Paul Kane, an American businessman in London who has just lost
his wife, children and memory in a plane crash. Fortunately, Kane has a hottie doctor devoted to
helping him remember that he's just like James Bond.
An American, slow-moving James Bond.
Second Nature, along with such other films as The Cat in the Hat and Pearl Harbor, falls into the
Alec Baldwin Dead Zone. I'm talking about that phase where, like William Shatner before him,
Alec Baldwin morphed from a sleek leading man to a waterlogged, scene-chewing character
actor. Much like puberty, it was not a graceful transformation.
In this film, Alec Baldwin IS Paul Kane, an American businessman in London who has just lost
his wife, children and memory in a plane crash. Fortunately, Kane has a hottie doctor devoted to
helping him remember that he's just like James Bond.
An American, slow-moving James Bond.
| It may be hard -- okay, very hard -- to buy Alec Baldwin as an assassin, but the guy can still rock a tuxedo. |
Kane spends a lot of time wandering
around, remembering things about his wife
and kids, though he doesn't appear too
broken up about losing them. He soon
grows bored of this (as does the audience),
and Kane goes about doing what Alec
Baldwin does best: sport a tux and attend
high society gigs while on "assignment."
If the movie consisted only of Alec Baldwin
hanging out in a tux, it would be in good
shape. But no, Baldwin plays an Elite
Assassin, and therefore must run and jump
and fight. He must do that whole cliche
around, remembering things about his wife
and kids, though he doesn't appear too
broken up about losing them. He soon
grows bored of this (as does the audience),
and Kane goes about doing what Alec
Baldwin does best: sport a tux and attend
high society gigs while on "assignment."
If the movie consisted only of Alec Baldwin
hanging out in a tux, it would be in good
shape. But no, Baldwin plays an Elite
Assassin, and therefore must run and jump
and fight. He must do that whole cliche
"hide up in the rafters and jump down on the clueless enemy" thing, and he must defy the laws of
science by hiding in an airplane beverage cart. It's awesomely laughable -- I haven't seen action
that comical since Adam West donned the cowl.
And what's an action movie without a few tough-guy wisecracks? My personal fav comes during
an intensely awkward scene where Kane and Powers Boothe are taking in a leisurely afternoon
of horseback riding:
Kane: Who were those guys (whose asses I kicked in a restaurant bathroom last
night)?
Powers Boothe: Local assets. Ex-British Special Forces.
Kane: Not so special.
Ba dum-dum!
Hey, Alec Baldwin: Maybe you want to leave the comedy to the experts...
science by hiding in an airplane beverage cart. It's awesomely laughable -- I haven't seen action
that comical since Adam West donned the cowl.
And what's an action movie without a few tough-guy wisecracks? My personal fav comes during
an intensely awkward scene where Kane and Powers Boothe are taking in a leisurely afternoon
of horseback riding:
Kane: Who were those guys (whose asses I kicked in a restaurant bathroom last
night)?
Powers Boothe: Local assets. Ex-British Special Forces.
Kane: Not so special.
Ba dum-dum!
Hey, Alec Baldwin: Maybe you want to leave the comedy to the experts...
Oh, right. Never mind.
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