The movie Atlas Shrugged, Part II, based on the Ayn Rand book, arrived in movie theaters today.
I saw it at a theater in Manhattan.
It was both important and disappointing.
Disappointing, because it begins with an airplane chase scene in which the airplane looks disturbingly obviously like a toy model, and because that is a pretty good indicator of the low-budget production and dramatic values throughout. There are no superstar actors, and the action drags at times while the characters make heavy-handed political speeches.
But important, because the scenario the film describes — a world in which many of the best and brightest disappear or quit because of a government that takes what it wants and taxes what it leaves behind — is one that may seem familiar, or potentially close, to many viewers.
So while it may not be the most scintillating movie you'll ever see, I recommend trying to catch it if you can, because it's a refreshing departure from the left-wing tilt of a lot of other Hollywood movies. The successful businessmen and women in this movie are heroes, and politicians are the villains.