IF YOU ARE UNDECIDED ABOUT WATCHING M*A*S*H READ MY COMMENT

Rating: Null/10 (23 July 2001)

I have mixed feelings about "M*A*S*H."
I admit, I think this movie is overrated, but it's not as bad as some of the other commenters make it out to be. Some criticize it for not having much of a plot. That's true, this movie is more like a series of sketches with a few common tie-ins. But when a movie is funny enough, it doesn't need an omniscient plot, and I think "M*A*S*H" pulls it off nicely.
Some commenters said that the football scene was unnecessary and long. I agree - what is a football scene doing in a movie that is supposedly about war? Speaking of which, I have also heard that this movie isn't as anti-war as one might hope. This is also true - war is moreso portrayed as a place where fun-loving surgeons can goof off. I have heard the rebuttal that the surgeons goof off to distract their minds from the horrors of war, but I find that hard to believe, as the surgeons don't seem too shocked or disturbed by what goes on in the operating room.
However, I would have to disagree with the critics who claim that the surgeons are unfairly cruel to Frank Burns and Hot Lips. I think the problem is that these commenters have the image of Frank Burns in the TV show in their heads - a no-nonsense guy who works hard on his job. In the movie, however, Frank is described as a bad surgeon; it is said that whenever his patients die, Frank blames it on "God's will"; there is also a scene where Frank blames the death of a soldier on a new orderly. Also, the prank on Frank (hey, that rhymes) is not particularly cruel - Frank is embarrassed, but soon he is discharged from the army and gets to go home.
Also, in many movies involving the actual battles in war, there is always a hard@$$ general who is strict to the soldiers and always goes BY THE BOOK. In "M*A*S*H" there is no difference - Hot Lips is that strict general, just with a different occupation. That's why the surgeons don't like her (along with her association with Frank Burns).
I don't think anyone questioned the quality of the acting in this movie - there are great performances by the entire cast. Finally, some people commented that they didn't think "M*A*S*H" was funny, but funniness is very objective. I thought it was pretty funny, but I don't know if you will.
"M*A*S*H" does have its faults, but if you ignore all the hype, this is a pretty good rent. IMHO, it is overrated, however. I mean, #6 on the AFI's list on the funniest films ever? #56 on the AFI's list of the best films ever? Nominated for 5 Oscars, including best picture, best director, and best supporting actress? I think that's pushing the quality of this movie a bit. I'll let you decide whether to rent this movie based on my comments and everyone else's.