Submited photoTom Cruise in American Made.

Tom Cruise is a superstar, there is no denying it. Honestly, this man is an American treasure that can singlehandedly save Hollywood.

In the current box office slump of modern American cinema, the idea of a “movie star” does not really exist. Studios cannot rely on the bankability of a famous actress or actor (see: Mother! starring Jennifer Lawrence). Tom Cruise on the other hand, can make any film remarkably good, therefore worth seeing. American Made sits on the proud pedestal of films that are undeniably worth seeing due to its leading man.

Directed by the always reliable Doug Liman, American Made tells the insane, true story of Barry Seal. A TWA pilot in the late 70s, Seal is recruited by the CIA to provide reconnaissance on the upcoming communist threat in Central America. Through crazy circumstances, Seal ends up working with the deadly Columbian based Medellin cartel, ultimately helping them sneak cocaine into the States on covert missions. The CIA catches Seal, but instead of arresting him, they convince him to keep going with the operation whilst helping the United States government infiltrate Pablo Escobar’s infamous drug ring. Now, if that sounds like a lot to take in, that is because it very much is. But, oh, how exciting it is.

American Made bolsters with a frantic energy that simply never stops. Giant leaps of time keep the plot moving forward along with sublime action set pieces sprinkled throughout the film. Barry Seal flies a lot of planes in this movie resulting in some remarkably thrilling action sequences. Barry flies the planes with a total love for the job. His planes whisk around in the sky, cutting the air with roaring fury. Oh, and every plane flown in the film is actually flown by pilot license certified Tom Cruise.

As stated before, Tom Cruise completely sells the role of Barry Seal in spectacular Tom Cruise fashion. Charming, witty and irresistibly cool, Cruise gives Seal everything he has got. It has been well recorded that Cruise does not seem to age at all. Well, it seems like Cruise has not lost a single bit of charm either. Compelling in every way, Cruise’s charisma seeps throughout American Made, singlehandedly keeping the story compelling.

American Made has some pacing issues but really no other flaws. American Made is simple popcorn movie fun, nothing else. The filmmakers simply throw out any attempt at trying to inject the film with a message or moral. Although slightly forgettable, Mr. Tom Cruise’s latest action extravaganza will definitely be a good time at the movies and an absolute thrill for anyone heading to the theaters.

Zain Hashmat is a film student from Meridian. An avid lover of film and literature, he will be reviewing movies available locally for The Meridian Star. He hopes his reviews will get the readers of The Meridian Star excited to get up and go to the movies.