A lot of lost potential

Rating: Null/10 (27 May 2004)

I just saw this movie last night. It really ended up being quite disappointing despite a very good beginning. The scenes near the start of the film really do a good job of transmitting the ominous feeling of looming war. When the war broke out, I was feeling the kid's fear and confusion. I was thinking it was going to be a good war journey film, like the Pianist. Unlike the Pianist, this story just seemed to spread itself to thin. Throughout the movie the kid gives all sorts of philosophical ponderings, at one point he declares, "I have become an athiest." Statements such as these seem like they should have meaning, but I couldn't find it. It was like much of the dialog and actions of the characters was just put out there with no insight to what caused them to speak and act in such a way. It seemed as though this got worse through the film. By the the time the end came, it seemed as though each scene was meaningless and unconnected to the next. If the character's motivations and psychology were made more apparent through the dialog, this could have been an excellent movie. The film was technically good, but the lack of insight into the characters leaves only a meaningless bore.