Think back to the golden age of disaster ensemble films like The Towering Inferno, Airport and Earthquake the latter of which starred Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner and George Kennedy.

FORBES: 'New Years Eve': Can Casting 20 Stars Buy a Hit?

Cate Blanchett does what's asked of her wonderfully well, but it's still a trick, just like Jude Law's fleeting turn as Errol Flynn, or Kate Beckinsale's game impersonation of Ava Gardner. (Game but pallid, beneath Ava's sensational clothes.) Leonardo DiCaprio brings an impressive set of skills to his role, but they're the wrong skills, because he's wrong for the part.

WSJ: A Flashy, Flawed 'Aviator'