An additional tidbit...

The movie's acting and dialogue was good. It was not spectacular, but it was good enough that I never felt the urge to cringe (which is something I do quite often). Actually, I take that back. The final scene had a bit of contrived dramatics. After a seven to eight second voice-over narration, Dagny shouts, awkwardly, "No!"

Additionally, there was one exchange between Dagny and Rearden where the back-and-forth, meant to share with the audience their plan-of-attack, seemed a little forced.

This story is a non-partisan, but ideological one. It addresses the questions of how long can non-producers feed off the labor of producers and do people have the right to work hard to pursue their dreams and keep the fruits of their labor.

In sum, the movie is not inferior in any way to other movies of the day, contrary to what is being peddled by other reviewers. I give the movie an 8.6 out of 10. The story still gets a 9.7 out of 10.

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Atlas Shrugged Part I

I caught the first theatrical installment of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged this afternoon. Although this is not my official review, I felt the urge to make a quick note.

The overall impression I have of the show is positive. The filming provides plenty of great shots contrasting the urban versus natural ambiances that are central to the book's setting. The soundtrack is complimentary to the story, not distracting, as some trend to be.

Contrary to many of the other reviews I've read, the movie (and originally the book) is not about angry, frustrated Conservatives complaining about government regulation of their industries, but rather a look into the results of certain mindsets and philosophies.

One is a utopian view that if all are equal, all is well. Happiness and sadness are irrelevant when all are equal. The other view believes that hard work, ingenuity and individualism is a quest worth seeking and the rewards are... well, rewarding.

The beauty of the message is that when reality is consulted in this matter, only one of these view points is actually sustainable. By focusing on the legislation of equal outcomes, no one is lifted up, but many are pulled down. The net difference is an overall decrease in the standard of living.

More to come.

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