A Portrait of the War Inside

Rating: 7/10 (19 November 2007)

Sam Mendes approach at the war in Iraq isn't rancid neither inaccurate. It's lateral. Wheter you expect tons of action or tons of emotions, you will get in between of them. The movie explores the lack of dynamism in the Eastern Front and how the war is liberated by the Phsycological road and the manipulation of fears is of upper relevance.
Performances are visceral and passionate, smart and felt. Jake Gylleenhall does his work in a bloody good manner. Saarsgad brings the spiritual contrast into scene with a cynicism that is largely well acted. Jamie Foxx brings to scene a life style that dominates the front: a life style in which vital is the adrenaline and no matter how much sand, oil or walking in an empty desert may despair, he goes front to his patriotic spirit, with his wit and grown loyalty to his team.
The movie revolves into the idea of what happens between the recruits when there is no action and one has to always be prepared. What goes on when nothing goes on? In a place that violent and filled of turmoil, the tension appears as fast as it vanishes. The tension is dealt in the mind, with the well drawn characters fight together with the common fear: War, Death.
A good movie, that approaches war at a different angle. I took a good surprise at seeing it.
"We are the hammer of God and that hammer is falling down"