I don't think I'll ever list Knight and Day as one of my favorite movies, but I ended up liking it for the exact same reasons I enjoy Just Cause 2. Though by no means a "Must Buy" or even something everyone needs to see, it still manages to put on an entertaining show despite it's best efforts to trip itself up at every turn.
Roy Miller (Tom Cruise) is a rogue, Bourne-like super spy with an incredibly upbeat and rosy outlook. While on a mission, he runs into June Havens (Cameron Diaz), who just wants to get home in time for her sister's wedding. As it turns out, June is the only person on the flight not trying to kill Roy and from that moment on, the two are linked in a videogame-like adventure full of intense shootouts, chase sequences and whatever other action movie set pieces James Mangold and Patrick O'Neill can squeeze into an hour an a half.
Knight and Day works for one reason, and one reason only - Tom Cruise. Without him delivering quick, smart one-liners and great action sequences, the movie would completely fall on its face. Thing is, it is sometimes hard to distinguish Tom Cruise from Roy Miller; they're one in the same. Another thing -- I'm pretty sure the blur between Cruise's public persona (or, at least his perceived public persona) and what we see during the film is completely intentional based on the number of "wink and nods" scattered throughout the film.
Cameron Diaz is okay, though you have to give her credit for doing whatever she could with the character. June isn't the typical, sturdy-lunged action babe we've come to expect from action films. Instead, she's a character without a lick of common sense that somehow manages to stumble and bumble her way through the adventure and not get shot along the way. She's not a bad character, just inconsistent and not very interesting.
To be fair to Diaz, the film's issues run deeper than one weak character. Knight and Day is loaded with issues. The villains are transparent and obvious, to the point I had to wonder how certain high-level people were able to keep their jobs. Knight and Day also overuses a "travel drug" gag, which is a shame because it's a good one. Rather than show the duo traveling, Roy drugs June, leading to a hazy, first person view montage of Roy jumping from a downed plane, riding a motor boat and performing other spy action sequences. It's great idea, but also stands as an example of why the "Rule of Three" works.
Sadly, there's a great film somewhere in the script. Unfortunately, the plot loses itself at about the halfway point and never really finds itself, leading to a very ragged and battered conclusion.
As for extras, well, there are extras but none are particularly interesting. "Wilder Knights and Crazier Days" focuses on action sequences while "Boston Days and Spanish Knights" looks at locations. Both are bland and offer nothing of any real interest. The same goes for "Knight and 'Someday," a look at Tom Cruise hanging out with the Black Eyed Peas at a concert and discussing the film's theme song.
The rest of the bunch isn't much better. The pair of viral videos isn't any funnier now then they were earlier this year. Both are well-polished attempts at trying to show a funny gag, but the gags are pretty obvious and groan-worthy.
Finally, there's a set of vignettes, "Scope" and "Story." Both are simple EPK montages of the film with various talking heads discussing the movie.
In what is quickly becoming the norm, Knight and Day comes in a 3-pack featuring the Blu-ray, DVD and digital copies of the film. I can't recommend a purchase, but if you're going to, you might as well go all in. If you decide to go the rental route, get the Blu-ray just to see the action sequences in HD.
Even with your brain securely in the "Off" position, it's flaws are apparent. Still, little things -- namely Cruise and the action squences - help make the film an enjoyable "guilty pleasure" action flick.
