Annapolis
Rated PG-13 for some violence, sexual content and language.
reviewed by Christopher Lyon
Recipe for “Annapolis”: Stir in equal parts “Top Gun,” “An Officer and a Gentleman,” and “Rocky” (with a dash of the 80s wrestling flick “Vision Quest”). Blend. Add lots of water. Blend. Add James Franco and Tyrese Gibson. Serve lukewarm. The result is a dish that’s not painful to swallow, but nothing you’ll be asking for seconds of.
The Story
As a boy growing up in Annapolis, Maryland, Jake Huard (James Franco) promised his now-deceased mom that he would one day attend the elite U.S. Naval Academy. Instead, his post-high school life includes working for his dad building boats at the shipyard and boxing at a local gym.
Then it happens. In spite of Huard’s low grades, a Lieutenant Commander (Donnie Wahlberg) decides this kid’s thirty-some requests to his congressman for a nomination and his raw boxing skills show promise. So with just 12 hours notice, Jake crosses the river knowing that his dad and his buddies don’t think he’ll ever make it through his first year as a Naval Academy plebe.
And it’s no picnic. A tough-as-nails former Marine named Cole (Tyrese Gibson) in charge of physical training has it in for him, and his roommates are a mixed bag. One seems to be way overweight to ever make it through. Another keeps taking risks by breaking the rules. And a third cockily follows orders almost to a fault. But a pretty upperclassman named Ali (Jordana Brewster) seems to like Jake.
Of course, Huard’s temper and his fierce independence begin to get the better of him, especially when given a chance to step in the ring with Cole. To prove himself, he stakes everything on boxing in the Academy’s annual tournament called the Brigades.
The Verdict
It’s not that “Annapolis” is painfully bad. It isn’t. Some people I know will enjoy this movie fine for the clichéd military/underdog flick it is and walk away without a second thought. But for those looking for anything deeper than the kiddie pool, though, “Annapolis” has trouble getting out of the dock.
It’s not just that it borrows story ideas from every military and/or boxing movie ever made, it borrows all of them, from Jake’s dead mom and distant dad to the growling-but-ultimately-respected drill sergeant character to the off-limits love interest to the extended training montages. Of course, lots of movies do that. But here, everything feels lightweight by comparison to the films it brings to mind. Jake’s disapproving dad isn’t quite jerky enough. His passion for Ali isn’t really all that intense. And the harassment he gets from the upperclassmen comes off more as a college hazing than brutal military boot camp. Mostly, James Franco just doesn’t deliver the intensity of desire we need for a movie like this to really get us rooting for him to succeed.
There are some nice moments mixed in. Jake’s relationship with his overweight roomie Nance actually feels genuine (up until a crucial moment in the film). And there’s nice message underneath about Jake needing to learn to let others help him. (More on that below.) In fact, maybe there’s just too much “nice stuff” to make this movie about boxing and training for war feel anchored to reality.
There’s also plenty of bad language to earn the film a PG-13 rating, along with scenes of people drinking and getting drunk and some boxing violence.
Worldview
In the end, Jake discovers that what he really needs to succeed at the Academy is help. He’s always ready to help others, but he can’t bring himself to accept help from his friends or anyone else. He thinks that to prove that he’s good enough, he’s got to do everything completely on his own. When he finally lets go of that idea, Jake begins to succeed, making progress far beyond what anyone thought possible.
The Bible teaches that Christians are meant to succeed together, as well. Too many of us seem to think that following Jesus is “a very personal experience.” God designed it to be just the opposite. By giving each of us different gifts to serve others with, His plan requires that we spend time together to grow and succeed in every area of the Christian life. If you’re not using your gifts to serve others -- and letting them do the same for you -- you’re not going to experience nearly as much victory in your day-to-day relationship with God. Check out Ephesians 4:11-16 and 1 Corinthians 12 for more on how we can grow together instead of falling apart.
Discussion Questions
• What are some of your favorite military flicks? How about boxing movies?
• How many movies can you name that follow a similar storyline to “Annapolis”?
• What did you think of James Franco in this role?
• Do you think James Franco would really stand a chance in the ring against a big guy like Tyrese Gibson? Who do you think would win if they played “Go Fish”?
• If you’re a Christian, do you know many people who seem to think that living for God is something they have to do all on their own? What’s wrong with that idea?
Let us know what you thought of this review!