Lacks Realism

Rating: 4/10 (9 August 2002)

Clint Eastwood is very highly regarded in Hollywood via his performances in films like THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY and DIRTY HARRY . He`s also well regarded as a director with films like PLAY MISTY FOR ME and UNFORGIVEN , but what a lot of people forget is Eastwood has starred in or directed plenty of poor films like FIREFOX , THE EIGER SANCTION , THE DEAD POOL and HEARTBREAK RIDGE
The worst thing about HEARTBREAK RIDGE is its totally unconvincing portrayal of the modern American marine corp. I can`t say I rate the USMC as the best fighting force in the world but even so I reckon that any ex US marine watching this film would feel insulted by the way the troops are portrayed as being undisciplined wide boys and pop star wannabes . They volunteered to be marines so why do they seem to be so reluctant to follow orders ? So much for professionalism . Worst scene is where Cpl Stich Jones tells Eastwood`s character to " Hit the road Jack and don`t come round no more no more no more "
The battle scenes - which seem to take an eternity to come - are also unconvincing especially the bit where the marines overcome a Cuban machine gunpost with a bulldozer . Strangely there is a scene where the marines have to communicate to their commanders via a public pay telephone and this actually did happen a couple times during Operation Urgent Fury though not for the reasons shown in HEARTBREAK RIDGE . I also believe I`m correct in saying the only USMC deaths in the operation were three marine pilots who were killed when their Cobra helicopter gunship was shot down.
Deaths resulting from OP Urgent Fury
American - 29
Cuban - 71
Grenadan Military -110
Grenadan Civilian - 45