Wolfgang Petersen (In the Line of Fire, Air Force One) returns to the open sea for the first time since his breakthrough masterpiece Das Boot, with The Perfect Storm, a supposed true story about a fishing boat lost in an intense hurricane.

It seems that George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg can't get enough of each other. Following Three Kings, and soon to be seen in a remake of Oceans 11, these two co-stars head an ensemble cast in this most unconventional summer film.

As The Perfect Storm opens, we are introduced to these characters two days before they set sail, and right up front, Petersen lets the audience know what's at stake if these fishermen don't come home. Most compelling are John C. Reilly as a drunken divorcee, Clooney as the stoic skipper, and William Fichtner as a down-on-his-luck welder.

As The Perfect Storm progresses, the characters seem to become more one dimensional, and it's hard to feel sympathetic for a selfish crew that are simply risking their lives for a paycheck, and hardly seeming to consider the feelings of their loved ones on the main land. I'm sure these were good men and mean no disrespect towards their loved ones, but what these men do in this film doesn't come across as heroic.

There is also too much going on in The Perfect Storm. Aside from Clooney and his crew, we get other storylines that are not fleshed out and seem irrelevant to the plot. And without giving anything away, it's hard to believe that this is a true story. After you see it, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Now let's talk about what does work in The Perfect Storm. Petersen's direction is dynamic to say the least. These storm sequences are truly breathtaking, and with the help of some stunning effects (courtesy of Industrial Light and Magic) Petersen delivers some terrifying images that you've never seen before. It should also be noted that James Horner's heartfelt score adds dramatic weight that is lacking in a meandering screenplay.

Although there have been worse films this summer, The Perfect Storm is hardly the perfect movie.