"Where Movie Critics Get A Taste Of Their Own Medicine!"
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out of 4 stars (R)CRITIC DOCTOR EXAMINES: Steve Holden (New York Times), George Meyer (Orlando Weekly), Travis Eddings (filmthreat.com), Mick LaSalle (San Francisco Chronicle), Roger Ebert (Chicago Sun-Times) and Michael Elliott (crosswalk.com).
Most movie critics hate "Bait." But when this film
lures you into the movie theater, it will be Jamie Foxx who hooks
you. Be prepared, though, to kick back in your chair until the
hook finally catches.
"Bait" is a movie about Alvin Sanders (Jamie Foxx),
a convicted thief who is used as bait by the FBI to lure in a
computer hacker responsible for stealing $42 million from the
New York Federal Gold Reserve. Sanders spent time in jail with
the hacker's partner who ran off with all the gold, but gave Sanders
a clue of the gold's location before he died. The FBI sets Sanders
free and secretly implants an electronic chip in his jaw to track
his every move.
Steve Holden (New York Times) said, "The biggest question
concerning "Bait" is why, oh, why Mr. Foxx, who was
so impressive in 'Any Given Sunday,' chose to make a movie so
boring and idiotic that it barely meets minimal standards of lowest-common-denominator
entertainment."
Get a grip, Holden. You mean to tell me Foxx sat down one
day, read the "Bait" script and said, "Hey. This
film is boring and idiotic. I'll do it!" What an idiotic
notion. What did happen is Foxx walked into an iffy situation
that he was able to bring through - and barely.
George Meyer (Orlando Weekly) said, "If nothing else,
'Bait' reasserts Foxx's possibilities as an actor who can carry
a movie on his own."
Indeed Foxx took the bait and ran with this movie the best he
could and pretty much saved it. This movie could have easily been
a flop, despite the sometimes-clever plot twists. The writing
was average, but good enough to make me forget I was in a movie
theater.
Travis Eddings (filmthreat.com) said, "From the get-go,
'Bait' is hook, line and stinker - with an emphasis on the latter.
It's not until the last 20 minutes that 'Bait' jumps-starts, but
by then it's too late."
Well the film did use shrimp as a plot devise, so I guess it could
be a stinker in that regard. But Eddings' timing is way
off. It was the last 40 minutes the film picked up, not 20. "Bait"
is likened to a day at the fishing hole, patiently waiting for
a bite. When it finally comes, we reel in our prize and that's
what "Bait" delivered. Ok. So maybe it wasn't a prize
fish, but the movie was certainly edible.
Mick LaSalle (San Francisco Chronicle) said, "Still,
two things pretty much save this movie. The last 40 minutes are
well-plotted and paced. And Foxx is enormously likable."
Roger Ebert (Chicago Sun-Times) adds, "It's funny
and clever, and it grows on you, especially with the tension between
Jamie Foxx's trash-talking thief and David Morse's monomaniacal
federal agent. It's one of those movies where you start out thinking
you've seen it all before, and the longer it runs, the less you've
seen before."
Foxx out-foxed some of the lame clichés, action sequences
and common story flaws. He made this movie better than it was
on black and white. But don't get me wrong; it's not all of Foxx's
doing. Doug Hutchison played a cold, yet controlled villain with
intelligence.
LaSalle adds, "He is what villains onscreen are only
rarely - scary."
Michael Elliott (crosswalk.com) summed the movie up best:
"With a mixture of action and humor, director Antoine Fuqua
("The Replacement Killers") fashions a moderately amusing,
sometimes thrilling adventure which, though flawed, is passable
entertainment."
"Bait" barely reeled in three stars, but the flick is
worth watching at the theater, especially if it's one of those
days where you have a hard time choosing a movie.
The critics may tell you to avoid "Bait," but don't
take their opinion hook, line and sinker.
--CRITIC DOCTOR
© Copyright 2000 by Herb Kane
All rights reserved.
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TITLE: Bait
CAST: Jamie Foxx (Alvin Sanders), David Morse (Edgar Clenteen),
Doug Hutchison (Bristol) and Kimberly Elise (Lisa Hill).
DIRECTOR: Antoine Fuqua.
PRODUCERS: Sean Ryerson.
SCREENPLAY: Tony Gilroy, Andrew Scheinman and Adam Scheinman.
U.S. DISTRIBUTOR: Castle Rock Entertainment/Warner Brothers.
RELEASE DATE: 09.15.2000
RUNNING TIME: 120 minutes.
MPAA Rating: R (sexual situations and violence).
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