Knight and Day

All style and no substance, Knight and Day follows Cameron Diaz’s June Havens as she encounters a mysterious yet charming stranger (Tom Cruise’s Roy Miller) just prior to boarding a flight – with the movie subsequently following the pair as they’re forced to evade all manner of gun-toting pursuers. There’s little doubt that Knight and Day fares best in its opening half hour, as the movie’s easygoing and lighthearted sensibilities prove effective at immediately capturing the viewer’s interest. It’s also worth noting that the almost egregiously familiar dynamic between June and Roy – he’s smooth and ultraconfident, she’s clumsy and jittery – is initially not quite as problematic as one might’ve anticipated, with the two leads’ charismatic work heightened by the palpable chemistry that exists between their respective characters. Knight and Day‘s pervasive mindlessness ultimately plays a rather significant role in its downfall, however, as the relentlessly slick action sequences – which are, to be fair, relatively well done (ie they’re devoid of shaky camerawork and rapid-fire cuts) – infuse the proceedings with an artificial and downright cartoonish atmosphere that results in a distinct lack of authentic thrills (ie there’s nothing real at stake for these characters). The degree to which the film consequently runs out of steam is nothing short of staggering, and there inevitably reaches a point at which the increasingly over-the-top set pieces become more desperate than anything else (ie Roy and June’s climactic efforts at simultaneously outrunning a stampede of bulls and an armed cadre of thugs). It’s a shame, really, given that the movie features an eclectic supporting cast that alone should’ve elevated one’s interest, yet the terminally broad vibe effectively renders Knight and Day‘s few positive attributes moot.

** out of ****