violent, bloody, technically wonderful, but strangely off

Rating: Null/10 (19 January 2002)

I really really like Ridley Scott. I wanted him to make a great movie. I wanted to like the movie. I wanted another war movie to add to my likes list (currently only 3 are on it - Full Metal Jacket, Apocalypse Now, and Thin Red Line - and 2 maybe war: Crimson Tide and Hunt for Red October). This movie did not add itself to the roster.
*SPOILERS AHEAD* It had a really good intro, that was probably manipulative, but for somebody who was 11-12 when the events occurred. So, i was hoping for something substantial. I got a story of how everything broke down, and that was interesting. But, there were several problems with the movie. One big beef I had was I never got to know the characters enough to care about them. Some have already said that it was the point, but for the surgery to really work as emotion instead of gory shock, we should know and care for the soldier like his partners.
Also, there was almost a checklist of stereotypes used. Tough and mean-spirited general, check. Rebellious crew, check. Humanitarian, check. There were more. And while i am sure hat the stereotypes were at the heart of these characters, I am sure that they were more than these base characters. Other complaints include that this is one big disjointed battle. You never focus on any one group long enough to know them or what their situation is.
What was up with the final speech? Did he really say that? Was my stomach churning over heartfelt words really said over a dead body? Or was this a reshoot in our new found nationalistic obsession for heroes, and finding them in the NYFD/PD? It seemed like a forced new scene made just for this situation.
And the whole movie was patriotic, but I guess people really are in the military. How else could you survive if you didn't believe in your country enough to die for it? But, it still seemed to have a bias that dying for your nation is a great thing even if it isn't for anything protective of the US. And it even condemned us nay-sayers by putting negative words in the mouth of the "bad guys." *END SPOILERS*
The movie could have been good, but I was just sighing and looking at my watch by the end of it. It was boring because it was repetitive. I guess people need war movies like old ones in this day of age, but I still would never add this movie to the top ten of my list, or even in the better half. It was a decent movie that had major flaws. I am waiting for windtalkers, but not for either of the other two war movies coming out. (Why are there four war movies coming out rapid fire?) 4/10