Annapolis
Annapolis promotional poster
Directed by	Justin Lin
Produced by	Damien Saccani Mark Vahradian
Written by	Dave Collard
Starring	James Franco Tyrese Gibson Jordana Brewster Roger Fan Donnie Wahlberg Vicellous Reon Shannon
Music by	Brian Tyler
Cinematography	Phil Abraham
Editing by	Fred Raskin
Distributed by	Touchstone Pictures
Release date(s)	January 27, 2006 (USA)
Language	English

Annapolis is a 2006 motion picture starring James Franco, Tyrese Gibson, Jordana Brewster, Donnie Wahlberg, Roger Fan, and Chi McBride. The film revolves around Jake Huard, a young man who dreams of one day attending the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was released January 27, 2006 in the United States.

As of February 12, 2006, the film grossed an approximate total of US$17.2 million in the United States, and was produced for a $26-million budget. Annapolis scored mostly negative reviews from critics but found an audience on DVD selling over four million copies and staying on top 10 rental lists around the country.

Contents 1 Summary 2 Cast 3 Soundtrack 4 Controversy 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Summary

The movie begins with Jake Huard (Franco) waking up after being knocked down during a boxing match. After returning to his feet and beating his opponent, he returns to the home he shares with his distant father (Goodman), who is also his employer at a naval shipyard, building vessels for the Navy. It is revealed that his mother has died an unspecified time ago, and his father doubts his ability to be anything.

The next day, Jake is visited by LCDR Burton (Walhberg), who reveals that his application to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis has been barely accepted. At a bar where Huard and his friends are celebrating Huard's acceptance, his friends introduce him to a young woman named Ali (Brewster), who they claim is a prostitute hired as a going-away present for Jake. Huard's attempts to seduce Ali are unsuccessful, and his farewell with his father leaves him frustrated.

On his first day at the Academy, Huard discovers that one of his instructors is Ali, a Midshipman 2nd Class (an upperclassman). She and her fellow instructor, Whitaker, begin hazing Huard's class of plebes, and it is revealed that Jake in particular is behind academically. Their company commanding officer, Midshipman Lieutenant (1st Class) Cole (Gibson), is revealed to be an enlisted Marine, and announces his intent to run out any midshipman he feels will not become a worthy officer. Jake's roommates include Nance (Shannon) (nicknamed Twins because he is too overweight to complete the obstacle course), Loo (Fan), and Estrada (Calderon), who is being singled out by Whitaker because of his race.

As time goes on, Estrada is kicked out for lying to Whitaker and attempting to assault Loo when he informs on Estrada to Cole. Huard's class becomes increasingly frustrated from suffering due to his failures, as evidenced by Loo moving out of the room. Nance explains his refusal to leave by noting that the instructors are so focused on Huard that they are leaving him alone. Returning home on winter leave, he intends not to return until he discovers that his father made a wager, expecting him to fail. Upon his return, the class begins instruction in boxing, and it is announced that a midshipman tournament, the Brigades, will occur at the end of the year. After Huard angers the boxing instructor with some unsportsmanlike conduct toward Cole in the ring, he is forced to train by himself.

After an after-hours match with Burton, Huard swallows his pride and admits he needs help training, enlisting Ali and Burton for physical training, and Nance for academics and to gain enough weight to be in Cole's weight class. In his match with Loo, he endures some taunting and returns with a single-punch knockout, earning him Loo's respect and support, along with the rest of his class when he proves capable of performing academically. He progresses through the tournament and defeats Whitaker in the semifinals, leaving Huard and Cole for the final match.

After Nance fails by just four seconds to successfully complete the obstacle course within five minutes, Cole informs Nance that he will be separated from the Academy. Nance responds with a suicide attempt, which prompts Huard to tackle Cole in anger. Expecting to be kicked out, Huard begins to pack up and leave, until Cole approaches him and informs him that he has requested more time from the disciplinary board in order to delay the hearing until after the final Brigades match. After some encouragement from the recovering Nance, Huard steps into the ring to fight Cole, lasting a full three rounds. Although Cole wins by decision, his fighting earns Huard the respect of the entire Academy, as well as his father (who has come to see the fight despite being behind schedule on the current ship he is building).

At his subsequent hearing, the disciplinary board decides to retain Huard, based on Cole's recommendation. The class of 2008 celebrates the end of their Plebe year, while Huard and Ali finally express their mutual attraction openly. Huard approaches newly-commissioned Second Lieutenant Cole to ask who would have won if the fight had continued, to which Cole challenges Huard to join the Marines to find out.

[edit] Cast

• James Franco as Jake Huard
• Tyrese Gibson as Cole
• Macka Foley as Ref
• Jim Parrack as A.J.
• Donnie Wahlberg as LCDR Burton
• Brian Goodman as Bill Huard
• Billy Finnigan as Kevin
• Jordana Brewster as Ali
• Katie Hein as Risa
• Jimmy Yi Fu Li as Midshipman Lin
• Charles Napier as Supt. Carter
• Heather Henderson as Daniels
• Vicellous Reon Shannon as Twins
• Roger Fan as Loo
• McCaleb Burnett as Whitaker
• Wilmer Calderon as Estrada
• Julia Klopmeier as Choppa Pilot
• Erik Peterson as Midshipman
• Chi McBride as boxing instructor
• Jen Deluca as Girl on roller skates
• Matt Myers as Mr. Nance
• Lisa Crilley as Jen
• Miles Lane as Yard Patrol Craft Commodore
• John Fahy as Midshipman
• Sam Winder as Flaming Midshipman
• Bryce Dabbs as Jacked Marine
• Daniel Roberts as Joe Midshipman

[edit] Soundtrack

The score by Brian Tyler was released, but the soundtrack was not.

1. "Nowhere Ride" - The Chelsea Smiles
2. "More Human than Human" - White Zombie
3. "When I'm Gone" - No Address
4. "Just Stop" - Disturbed
5. "Somersault" - Zero 7
6. "Born Too Slow" - The Crystal Method
7. "Hero of the Day" - Metallica
8. (Trailer)"Start Something" - Lostprophets

[edit] Controversy

Upon reviewing the script, the Chief of Naval Information commented:^[1]

This picture was made without the support of the Department of the Navy and the Department of Defense ... the story depicted in the script did not accurately portray the Academy, its standards for training, and its methods of shaping midshipmen mentally, morally and physically for service in the U.S. Navy. Based on this, the producers were not allowed further access to the Academy grounds or provided with any other support for the filming.

Navy personnel should avoid the appearance of support to the film as members of the Department of the Navy. Anyone attending a screening or promotional activity for the film should not attend in uniform.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Annapolis DVD site
• Annapolis at the Internet Movie Database
• Annapolis at Rotten Tomatoes
• Annapolis at Box Office Mojo

v • d • e Films directed by the Justin Lin 1990s Shopping for Fangs (1997) 2000s Better Luck Tomorrow (2002) · Annapolis (2006) · The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) · Finishing the Game (2007) · Fast & Furious (2009) 2010s Highlander (2010)