Don't be fooled, this is a courtroom drama, not an action flic!

Rating: 3/10 (24 February 2002)

I suspect that poor test audience reviews pushed the studio to create a trailer that publicized Hart's War as an action film, but after the first 15 minutes you'll realize you're watching more of a courtroom drama than a WWII film with the same pace as "Saving Private Ryan" or "The Dirty Dozen."
The drama unfolds painfully slow and is handicapped by 2002 racial commentary awkwardly forced upon characters set in the 1940's. Sappy diatribes about honor, racial tolerance and American patriotism detract from the film rather than enhance it because they exist as the story, not as a subtext to it.
Willis' performance is, as you would expect if you knew this was a dramatic role and not an action one, at its best, vapid.
The fact that Hart's War takes the departure from action to drama is a real shame, because the first twenty minutes or so had the makings of an awesome prison escape movie. I just wish Hollywood would stop trying to dupe audiences into big opening weekend box office returns and give us a better idea of what to expect. I think if I had known what I was getting into, I might have disliked it a tad less.