'Annapolis' Is a Washout

Set at a barely recognizable U.S. Naval Academy envisioned not as an educational institution but as a kind of boxing camp for the underprivileged, "Annapolis" watches breathlessly as a boy from the wrong side of the tracks makes good once he learns the eternal lessons of teamwork, self-effacement, self-discipline and a really cute smile.

In a fictitious shipyard -- the film was shot in Philadelphia -- welder Jake Huard (James Franco) toils for his gruff dad, pines for his dead mom and fixates on the golden dome across the water. One day an officer arrives, tells Jake there's been a cancellation, and even though he has been rejected, he can still get in if he shows up tomorrow at 0630.

Jake's initial discovery about the Naval Academy isn't its academic rigor or that his drill instructor turns out to be Demi Moore (actually a young actress and demi-Demi named Jordana Brewster) but that it's a hotbed of boxing.

There is some truth to this assessment, admittedly. Boxing is highly valued at some service academies, as certain military minds believe it inculcates aggressiveness. Indeed, the Naval Academy has a tournament called "The Brigades" in which people get to whale away on each other for eternal glory in academy lore. But if songs are still sung about the best of those bouts, it's doubtful they'll be sung about the slug-out between midshipman Jake and upperclassman Cole (Tyrese Gibson), who looks like the last king of Nubia. Cole is the keeper of the gate who doesn't believe that Jake is officer material. He's also the reigning brigade heavyweight champ.

Do you suppose the two settle it in the ring in the finals?

"Annapolis" is cobbled together from parts of "An Officer and a Gentleman" and "Top Gun" and a dozen other service-academy/sports-as-redemption fables over the years. The only impressive thing about it is the monotony and thoroughness with which it replicates cliches from older, better movies and hammers them into pop alloy to an up-with-me beat beat beat of its musical score.

-- Stephen Hunter

Annapolis PG-13, 105 minutes Contains boxing violence, sexual content and some profanity. Area theaters.