‘Adaptation’ is full of character

In limited release, “Adaptation” is the second of three ambitious

Charlie Kaufman scripts to be produced this year, along with the

bizarre love-triangle comedy “Human Nature” and George Clooney’s

directorial debut, “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind,” about “Gong

Show” host and part-time secret agent Chuck Barris.

Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper, Brian Cox, Cara Seymour,

Rheagan Wallace, Judy Greer, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Curtis Hanson, John

Cusack, Spike Jonze and Catherine Keener make up the cast of

“Adaptation.”

The lines of reality and fiction are freakishly blurred in this

film directed by Spike Jonze and with credit for its writing being

split by Charlie and his brother Donald Kaufman (even though Donald

doesn’t really exist.)

Although I have never been a fan of Cage, this film may have

converted me. Cage plays a tortured, gluttonous and anxious

screenwriter named Charlie Kaufman, who is hired to adapt Susan

Orlean’s bestseller, “The Orchid Thief.”

This is no small feat, and it causes Charlie to veer into some

deep self-reflection before he finds his angle. Charlie has a twin

brother named Donald, also played by Cage, who is charming,

effortlessly successful and funny.

Thirty percent of the film is spent telling Orlean’s

autobiographical story. She is played proficiently by Meryl Streep.

She admires the gusto of a toothless Florida horticulture bandit

named John Laroche, played in a standout fashion by Chris Cooper. The

other 70% of the film is a showcase for Cage. The two story lines

commingle when Charlie sets off to meet Susan Orlean.

Kaufman strives for a noncommercial, offbeat example of what movie

making can be when priority is placed upon character rather than

special effects and action. This may come across as self-indulgent.

However, it will make you think and, despite the absence of a

satisfying “happy ending” that most formulaic scripts today supply,

it will not disappoint.

‘Nemesis’ is its own worst enemy

I was born on the same day that the original “Star Trek” series

with William Shatner was canceled, Sept. 2, 1969. I grew up watching

the reruns of the classic series, and my interest in science fiction

evolved. Today, I watch the spin offs, occasionally read a franchised

book and, if something “Star Trek” related comes out, I go see it.

I highly anticipated “Star Trek: Nemesis” featuring the “Next

Generation” cast, which is at theaters now. This film is steered by

fledgling film director Stuart Baird, a former film editor, and

written by “Gladiator” scribe Joshua Logan.

The premise: the Romulans want peace, but a related race from the

planet Reman is bent on destroying Picard and the entire Federation.

Ordered by Starfleet, the crew of the USS Enterprise-E is

dispatched to Romulus for an impromptu peace mission. Captain

Jean-Luc Picard and the Enterprise crew are thrust into the center of

a plot that threatens the destruction of Earth at the hands of the

Remans (a Morlockish, vampiric offshoot of Romulans.)

The Remans are lead by a cloned and shaved Picard-wannabe with

enormous shoulder pads and bad make up.

The film features the usual suspects, plus some very brief cameos

by other “Star Trek” characters. Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Majel

Barrett, LeVar Burton, Steven Culp, Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes,

Whoopi Goldberg, Gates McFadden, Kate Mulgrew, Ron Perlman, Marina

Sirtis, Wil Wheaton and Dina Meyer make up the bulk of the cast.

Bryan Singer, director of the X-Men series of films, plays a bit part

as well.

The plot is weak and disjointed, as is the editing. This is

surprising coming from former editor Baird. Nothing in the script

convincingly explains why the nemesis, Shinzon, played by Hardy,

hates the Federation or Earth.

This basic breakdown in plot hampers the entire movie and makes

glaringly apparent the main problem with the film: It tries to be

everything except what it should be. The story line, which is full of

wormholes, is bogged down with poor and derived wisecracks that try

to mask the beleaguered plot.

The film poorly segues from one obvious rip off to another. One

sequence of the film shows Picard, Worf and Data as they drive

through an alien desert in a futuristic dune buggy chase whose

cinematography mimics the movie “Pitch Black.” Later we see stolen

moments from the “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace,” “Nosferatu,” “Star

Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn” and even “Superman: the Movie.” Lost in

imitation, this movie fails to be itself.

It is evident that Brent Spiner, who plays Data and his newfound

brother, B4, had input into the story. The emphasis on his character

is overkill. Dorn, who plays Worf, is seldom seen. Stewart, as

Captain Picard, seems tired and resigned. Perhaps he saw the writing

on the wall as the film was being shot.

The nemesis of this film is explained to be a cold war clone of

Picard in his 20s, who was put on the back burner by the Romulans.

His rapid aging genes were never activated and, as a result, he is

dying. The movie would have been more interesting had the genes been

activated. Stewart could ultimately have played both roles, creating

a more dynamic series of events.

As the heavy, Hardy is not impressive and unable to carry his half

of the $80-million film. Producer Rick Berman is to blame for not

realizing this early on. This film is touted as a “generation’s final

journey.” If this is the best Paramount can do with these characters,

then that promise may be worth keeping.

I felt as if I was watching a film that started out with one

intention and ended up someplace else. There were interesting

elements to the story lines, but their execution was tragically

flawed.

In early reports of this film, it was released that Data’s new

brother would be named B9, sort of a play on words exemplifying the

new android’s “benign” personality. However, somewhere along the way

his name was changed to B4, and in one of the many plot holes, it is

explained that this is because Data’s creator made this other android

before Data. That statement is chronologically illogical, since you

don’t name a prototype using a pseudo-past tense.

This minor point illustrates the malfunction of this movie. I have

a feeling Trek enthusiasts will be dissecting the faults of this film

for quite awhile.

To the average viewer, this film might distract you while you eat

your popcorn. To Christmas shoppers, it will certainly provide

advertisement for all those action figures and futuristic vehicle

toys before gift-giving.

The rest of us will be waiting for a “Star Trek” film that is

actually about “Star Trek.”

* RAY BUFFER, 33, is a professional singer, actor and voice-over

artist.