The Tourist

Started as a witty cat-and-mouse chase between Elise (Angelina Jolie) and the Interpol, The Tourist began in Paris and unfolded the story between the mysterious and intelligent woman Elise and her lover, Alexander Pearce, a notorious criminal and fraud wanted worldwide.

Upon the delivery of a letter from Pearce, Elise managed to escape the tailing of the French Interpol and got on a train to Venice, where she met Frank Tupelo (Johnny Depp), a Mathematics teacher from Wisconsin. Frank is an attractive widower and Elise an attractive single. The chemistry between the seductive British woman and the down-to-earth American teacher was playful and enchanting.

But, the encounter was more than just a coincidence. It was all part of a plan to find Pearce, who has never been seen by anyone but Elise. When they arrived at Venice, Elise took Frank to a fancy hotel which led to a series of unfortunate events for the Maths teacher. In order not to spoil, let’s just say it involves more police chases, a mafia leader and they all want to capture and kill with exploded boats and other big-guy gadgets and weapons . But what do all these have to do with Frank, the tourist? Is the poor Mathematic teacher going to survive the unexpected holiday adventure? Who is the mysterious woman? Will they ever find out who and where Pearce is?

For those looking for actions, this movie is not especially explosive. The plot is simple and straight-forward. Half way through the movie, I have already guessed the ending. But the acting and the expectation from the Depp and Jolie are the reasons you pay for the journey. Anticipating a fierce and toughened Jolie, like her usual roles, the vulnerability in her character made the film a great deal more surprising and satisfying.

Depp managed to stick the spirit of Jack Sparrow, oddly, into a Maths teacher’s body. Nonetheless, the inexplicable elements of their characters make their conversation and chemistry extremely unpredictable and humours. Laughters are heard throughout the movie and this is not exactly what you expect from a seemingly action-heavy movie. But it is a nice surprise, nevertheless. The only unlaughable matter is Jolie’s (awfully) pretentious British accent.

Critics have been harsh on this movie but I can say that they are completely biased. One of the reasons to explain sucky reviews was because they made fun of Depp’s American tourist stereotypes: speaking loudly, acting strangely and talking about being American and their rights, etc. If you are too sensitive with jokes about Americans, then be warned! But otherwise, it is undeniably a highlight of the movie.

Filmed in the beautiful Venice, with a glimpse of a luxurious James-Bond-like extravagance and suspense , The Tourist provided Christmas cinema-goers a scenic yet stimulating tour of love, loyalty and mystery.

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