That old bat from Santa Fe

Rating: 6/10 (18 June 2008)

Jamie Foxx seems to like the military movies. This, and the later "The Kingdom", focus on Jamie portraying himself as an American Soldier in hostilities in the Middle East. And this one is focused on Desert Storm back in 1991.
Even though Foxx is in this, he isn't the main character. Jake Gyllenhaal's movie persona is what this is primarily about. Joining the Marines and going to Iraq. But it doesn't show a glamorous military, but some of the uglier sides. Mutiny, losing control, insubordination, drunkenness, frustration, and the like. Troops go through the ups and downs of being away from their woman, some of them losing their woman as they go off to fight.
There were several times it was funny, especially in the first twenty minutes. Also, there are times it gets slow and melodramatic. After the short war that Desert Storm was, the men in this drama go home and we are shown how they turned out a few years later.
Overall, its slightly above average. The drama sometimes was overblown. But also at times it was funny. Give it a go if you wish. "C+"