Atlas Shrugged II: The Strike Review

Rand aid-Samantha Mathis and Jason Beghe as a couple of business people in Atlas Shrugged II: The Strike

                                   I will admit that I am one of the few people if not the only person who kind of enjoyed Atlas Shrugged Part 1. I mean-considering how supposedly impossible to make the book is-I thought the filmmaker and cast did a decent job. Despite how much the first one flopped-a new director and cast has decided to make  Atlas Shrugged II: The Strike. Now-before I get into how bad this film is I will say that I understand why this book is so impossible to make. Therefore-I respect that director John Putch and the cast even tried to make a second part because I simply could not do it. The last two feature length films of Putch were Beethoven's Christmas Adventure and American Pie Presents The Book Of Love-both of which went straight to DVD. I bring this up because I also want to remind my readers that this is Putch's first theatrical release since (I believe) 2001. 

                                      However, the film is so boring that it almost requires the audience to check the time at least a couple of times. At 110 minutes with both too much and too little going on the film feels like a five year old with too many ideas. The film also features terrible performances from a talented cast. Samantha Mathis, Diedrich Bader, Ray Wise, Esai Morales and Thomas F. Wilson among others are all extremely talented but they squander that talent by following the lousy script. The plot of the film need not be explained because everyone should know the plot by now. The only thing I will say about the plot is that the question "Who is John Galt?" is asked multiple times. The film has an unfinished twist ending that sets up for another film. However, there is no reason to sit through another film to find out the whole twist when IMDB is available.

                                     There are also too many laughable moments. These moments are not particularly laughable due to the content but are rather this way because director Putch is obviously trying too hard to provide said content. For example-there is a shot of a gas pump machine that is way too obviously trying to show the rise is gas prices. The beginning scene is also the end scene unfinished which is right out of the cliche barn. There are  also way too many dull moments. These moments are dull because they do not try hard enough. Like I said-too much going on and yet too little going on. For example-there is a scene involving Robert Collins (Thomas F. Wilson) and his employees arguing about what to do about the collapse of the economy. Teller  (Penn's partner) shows up for 30 seconds as a hotel clerk and actually talks. That particular moment feels as if the filmmakers are trying to find some reason-any reason to get people into the theater. Of course-Dagny (Samantha Mathis)-the main character is unlikable in every way possible even if Mathis makes pretty good eye candy. Still-she is one of the most likable characters in the film.

                                      Honestly-there is no reason to go see Atlas Shrugged II: The Strike. As someone who sees every film under the sun....I may not even see the third and supposedly final chapter because simply-no one should care. It is a terrible film even if it is a respectable effort.
(1 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated PG-13 for brief language)