Cinema

For more movie summaries, see Kam’s Kapsules.

THEY FLY THROUGH THE AIR WITH THE GREATEST OF EASE: Roy (Tom Cruise, left) and Jean (Cameron Diaz) are now in Seville fleeing from yet another group of enemies as part of their mission to prevent the Zephyr, a perpetual energy battery, from falling into the wrong hands. To see how things turn out for the couple and the battery, see the movie.

Knight and Day: Diaz and Cruise Crisscross the Planet in Spy Genre Spoof

Kam Williams

This high octane espionage thriller is the epitome of escapist summer fare. It’s got all the basic ingredients the blockbuster recipe calls for in order to keep you thoroughly entertained. There’s a multi-layered mystery, international intrigue, breathtaking cinematography at exotic locales, death defying stunts, and excellent screen chemistry between the hero and heroine. Co-stars Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, together again for the first time since Vanilla Sky (2001), are ably assisted by a talented supporting cast led by Viola Davis, Maggie Grace, and Peter Sarsgaard.

At first glance, Knight and Day’s plot appears to be a typical potboiler where a suave spy circles the world fighting bad guys while accompanied by a beautiful woman. But this adventure contains a number of clever plot twists that surface only after you’ve probably made some wrong assumptions about the lead characters.

The film opens in Wichita, Kansas, where we find CIA Agent Roy Miller (Cruise) literally bumping into a small town girl June Havens (Diaz) just before they both board their plane to Boston. “This might be a rough flight,” he warns her ominously.

Seated across the aisle from each other, they proceed to flirt shamelessly over drinks until June excuses herself to powder her nose. That’s when an army of assassins, comprised not only of all the other passengers but of the crew members as well, attack Roy. The well trained agent proves to be up to the challenge, however, and after June returns to her seat from the ladies’ room, he matter-of-factly announces that “We lost the pilots,” and proceeds to crash land the aircraft in a cornfield.

Roy was attacked on the plane because he’s apparently been assigned by the Agency to prevent a perpetual energy battery code named Zephyr, that was invented by a teenaged genius Simon Fleck (Dano), from falling into the wrong hands. Before the authorities or more adversaries arrive, Roy hurriedly explains to June that her life is now in danger and that her odds for survival are far better if she sticks with him instead of going to her sister’s (Grace) wedding in Boston as planned. Although this development is disconcerting, June agrees to go with him out of a combination of curiosity and physical attraction. What ensues is madcap mayhem, with so many bodies hitting the floor that it leaves June frazzled and begging Roy to “Please stop shooting people!”

You are forewarned that not much is either plausible or as it appears in this hilarious spoof of the spy genre.

Excellent (4 stars). Rated PG-13 for violence and brief profanity. Running time: 110 Minutes. Distributor: 20th Century Fox

For more movie summaries, see Kam’s Kapsules.

Return to Top | Go to Music and Theater Reviews