Not as bad as all that ***Some Spoilers***

Rating: Null/10 (29 October 2002)

I was expecting much worse, remembering the negative reviews I read when it was originally released in theatres, and most of the user comments here are certainly not kind at all, but when this popped up on Showtime I figured I'd give it a go. Certainly the 'free' viewing may contribute to my less than eager attitude about panning this film as many others have done, but after it finished I found myself thinking for a casual night of TV film it was OK. I thought also, as others have mentioned, that Cage's attempt at an Italian accent was unnecessary. Viewers can easily make the mental leap to an Italian officer without benefit of a poor accent. I mean it's not like we think they're all speaking English in Greece, right? Just opens you up to the kind of criticism it garnered. I confess to not reading the book, but now knowing (via the posts here) the Cruz/Cage characters get back together in their 80's, and not a mere two years after the war's end, would have been a more striking, and satisfactory conclusion to the story. As far as the period, "Mediterraneo" was a much better film, but this had it's moments. A happy ending on a rainy Tuesday night in Georgia is OK, and the world goes on as one expects it would even if the film isn't the brightest of cinematic efforts. 5/10 - 6/10, maybe even a 7/10 if you have no reason to expect more than a casual evening's entertainment.