Ben Campbell is a math wiz. He only problem is that he needs $300,000 in order to attend Harvard Medical School, and he doesn't have the money. One of his professors wants to change Ben's luck by inviting he to join a group of MIT geniuses as they learn how to play blackjack, and rack in the cash. Unfortunately, the plan backfires, and so does the movie's chances of being more than a morality tale.
Pros: 21 does a good job of showing people what can happen when you gamble too much. You can lose no only your money, but you can also lose your friends. That's what happens to Ben. He also gets beaten up by casino security guard Cole Williams, after he's betrayed by his professor Mickey Rosa. At first its hard to tell if Cole or Mickey is the villain, but it becomes clearer towards the end of the movie. That's the one thing I like about the plot, it keeps you guessing what's going to happen next.
Cons: One of the movie's biggest flaws is that it makes gambling look cool, in spite of the fact that you can also become broke and lose everything you have. It also makes seem like its easy to beat the house, but in reality it isn't. Another problem is the acting. The duologue is awful, despite the fact that it was edited by three people. If you don't believe men watch the credits at the end of the movie and see for yourselves.
Final Verdict: When I saw the trailers for 21 I thought it would be good, but its nothing more than a morality tale about the dangers of gambling. After seeing the movie, I couldn't help but wonder if all casinos in Vegas have a room in the basement when anyone caught cheating is tied to a chair, and beaten up by security guards. If that's true then I'm never gambling in Vegas. Watching 21 is gamble nobody should take.
Scores (Out of 10):
Story: 5.5
Acting: 5.0
Direction: 4.6
Visuals: 5.3
Final Score (Out of 10):
5.1
How the rating system works:
9-10.0=A
7-8.9= B
5-6.9= C
3-4.9= D
0-2.9= F
This year so far (Scores out of 10):
10,000 B.C. 8.0
