Quartile rating: 5.5/10 · 1 rating
Deeply ensconced in a top-secret military program, three pilots struggle to bring an artificial intelligence program under control ... before it initiates the next world war.
Stealth (2005) is a largely forgettable action blockbuster that squanders an intriguing AI-gone-rogue premise with a formulaic, cliché-ridden script. The plot retreads familiar man-vs-machine and rogue weapon tropes without adding much depth, and the human drama feels perfunctory. Acting is serviceable at best — the cast (Josh Lucas, Jessica Biel, Jamie Foxx) deliver generic performances constrained by thin characterization. Cinematography is the film's strongest suit, featuring slick aerial photography and impressive visual effects for its era, giving the dogfights genuine kinetic energy. Novelty is low — the AI antagonist concept had been well-worn by 2005, and the film executes it in a by-the-numbers fashion without a distinctive voice. The ending is weak, resolving conflicts too neatly and rushing through its North Korea subplot without conviction.