Annapolis
—1. Overview
—2. Cast and Crew
—3. Photo Pages
—4. Trailers, Clips, DVDs, Books, Soundtrack
—5. Posters (Current Films)
—6. Production Notes (pdf)
—7. Spiritual Connections
—8. Presentation Downloads
Annapolis is part GI Jane and part Cinderalla Man, and not just because Jordana Brewster bears some resemblance to Demi Moore. The long-standing naval institution gets a not-so-glamorous showing in what may or may not serve as an ad for years to come. The individual story of Jake Huard (Franco) is tied with the class of plebes who hope to become midshipmen and to that of their Marine-turned-Midshipmen drill sergeant, Lt. Cole (Gibson.) While certainly a story of one man’s intention to become an officer, it is also a story of self-discovery, friendship and second chances.
I went to the movie sort of unwillingly. A few months ago, the trailer grabbed me as not-half-bad but today I had a few other things I was more concerned with getting done. But I went to the film anyway, and discovered that James Franco might have more to him than being Spiderman’s nemesis and that the movie wasn’t just a glamorous push to up enrollment for the Navy. Huard’s father has raised a son who is prepared to make a man out of his son by all means necessary, as both of them still struggle with the death of Mrs. Huard. Jake has a certain authority complex about him that also seems to breed a quitting mentality: he would rather than walk away than grind against authority he doesn’t feel that he can change.
Getting into Annapolis is the younger Huard’s dream and promise to his dead mother, and only occurs after much perseverance. His three bunkmates are Twins (Shannon), Loo (Fan), and Estrada (Calderon), but his full attention is on Ali (Brewster.) He observes the defiant Estrada’s counteraction to the racism of the superior officers and Loo’s by-the-book understanding of leadership and compliance. He grows closer to Twins and Ali through his own struggles but remains determined to get through Annapolis on his own. Only after his own frustrations boil over, does he learn from Lt. Cmdr. Burton (Wahlberg) about what it means to be a part of the community and cooperate together.
Huard learns quite a few coming-of-age lessons that are presented poignantly and with humor, but grows in stature as a man and a hero. He is certainly presented as entering the military to find himself, but does not completely come into his own until he begins training for the Brigades, an all-out boxing championship where regardless of rank, all are equal. The boxing ring becomes symbolic of those moments of crisis and character building that everyone experiences: some learn to grow, others succumb to the challenges and temptations. Even more importantly for Annapolis, Huard’s experience shows that no one can get by on their own.
The theme of growth and community resonate from within Annapolis’ story, as Huard shakes off the bitter self-doubt that his father’s life has passed down to him, and he learns to see himself through the eyes of others. In one of the greatest scenes of the film, Huard has frustrated the class’ superior officers and finds himself alone on the rain, doing up-downs. But his efforts, team spirit and defiance have had an impact on the other plebes, and he is soon joined in the rain by others, doing up-downs beside him. In that moment, the superior officers have achieved what they hoped for—a leader has risen up and a standard has been set.
Hopefully we can learn from the trials of Jake Huard, ‘plebe no more.’ We are all equal, none greater than the other, and accordingly, we cannot accomplish our goals without each other. When one struggles, we all struggle, as Jesus said, ‘what you have done to the least of these, you have done to me.’ We stand and fall as one!
— Overview
—2. Cast and Crew
—3. Photo Pages
—4. Trailers, Clips, DVDs, Books, Soundtrack
—5. Posters (Current Films)
—6. Production Notes (pdf)
—7. Spiritual Connections
—8. Presentation Downloads
Annapolis is part GI Jane and part Cinderalla Man, and not just because Jordana Brewster bears some resemblance to Demi Moore. The long-standing naval institution gets a not-so-glamorous showing in what may or may not serve as an ad for years to come. The individual story of Jake Huard (Franco) is tied with the class of plebes who hope to become midshipmen and to that of their Marine-turned-Midshipmen drill sergeant, Lt. Cole (Gibson.) While certainly a story of one man’s intention to become an officer, it is also a story of self-discovery, friendship and second chances.I went to the movie sort of unwillingly. A few months ago, the trailer grabbed me as not-half-bad but today I had a few other things I was more concerned with getting done. But I went to the film anyway, and discovered that James Franco might have more to him than being Spiderman’s nemesis and that the movie wasn’t just a glamorous push to up enrollment for the Navy. Huard’s father has raised a son who is prepared to make a man out of his son by all means necessary, as both of them still struggle with the death of Mrs. Huard. Jake has a certain authority complex about him that also seems to breed a quitting mentality: he would rather than walk away than grind against authority he doesn’t feel that he can change.
Getting into Annapolis is the younger Huard’s dream and promise to his dead mother, and only occurs after much perseverance. His three bunkmates are Twins (Shannon), Loo (Fan), and Estrada (Calderon), but his full attention is on Ali (Brewster.) He observes the defiant Estrada’s counteraction to the racism of the superior officers and Loo’s by-the-book understanding of leadership and compliance. He grows closer to Twins and Ali through his own struggles but remains determined to get through Annapolis on his own. Only after his own frustrations boil over, does he learn from Lt. Cmdr. Burton (Wahlberg) about what it means to be a part of the community and cooperate together.
Huard learns quite a few coming-of-age lessons that are presented poignantly and with humor, but grows in stature as a man and a hero. He is certainly presented as entering the military to find himself, but does not completely come into his own until he begins training for the Brigades, an all-out boxing championship where regardless of rank, all are equal. The boxing ring becomes symbolic of those moments of crisis and character building that everyone experiences: some learn to grow, others succumb to the challenges and temptations. Even more importantly for Annapolis, Huard’s experience shows that no one can get by on their own.
The theme of growth and community resonate from within Annapolis’ story, as Huard shakes off the bitter self-doubt that his father’s life has passed down to him, and he learns to see himself through the eyes of others. In one of the greatest scenes of the film, Huard has frustrated the class’ superior officers and finds himself alone on the rain, doing up-downs. But his efforts, team spirit and defiance have had an impact on the other plebes, and he is soon joined in the rain by others, doing up-downs beside him. In that moment, the superior officers have achieved what they hoped for—a leader has risen up and a standard has been set.
Hopefully we can learn from the trials of Jake Huard, ‘plebe no more.’ We are all equal, none greater than the other, and accordingly, we cannot accomplish our goals without each other. When one struggles, we all struggle, as Jesus said, ‘what you have done to the least of these, you have done to me.’ We stand and fall as one!
— Overview
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