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The Aviator

The Aviator

Drama · 2004

A biopic depicting the life of filmmaker and aviation pioneer Howard Hughes from 1927 to 1947, during which time he became a successful film producer and an aviation magnate, while simultaneously growing more unstable due to severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Movie details

The Aviator

“Some men dream the future. He built it.”

2004 Drama 2h 50m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.2 / 10

Community rating

A biopic depicting the life of filmmaker and aviation pioneer Howard Hughes from 1927 to 1947, during which time he became a successful film producer and an aviation magnate, while simultaneously growing more unstable due to severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Aviator?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Martin Scorsese

Written by

John Logan

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio

Howard Hughes

Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett

Katharine Hepburn

Kate Beckinsale

Kate Beckinsale

Ava Gardner

John C. Reilly

John C. Reilly

Noah Dietrich

Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin

Juan Trippe

Alan Alda

Alan Alda

Senator Ralph Owen Brewster

Ian Holm

Ian Holm

Professor Fitz

Court is in session

Put The Aviator on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.