Why Spielberg is still the best

Rating: 8/10 (28 January 2006)

I haven't been too impressed with Spielbergs recent output after being left distinctly underwhelmed by WotW and Catch Me If You Can but this film is absolutely incredible. It takes a truly great director with the deftest of touches to be able to create a film that manages to get across the horror and pain of violent acts and the impact they have on those who commit them as well as the victims, while at the same time refusing to take sides or to be sympathetic to either point of view. The violent scenes are explicit without being gratuitous, shockingly real and, quite rightly, repulsive. Spielberg has said that if he does this film right, both sides will hate it and it's true - this film seems to act as a mirror in which anyone who has an opinion going in will be forced to face that opinion and their own conscience. Eric Bana is superb as the increasingly tortured soul tasked with serving his country, at first willingly - his doubt and paranoia growing over the course of the film. Compare this to the one-sided Black Hawk Down and it is clear why Spielberg is THE greatest director of our time. I am writing this days after seeing the film and it still with me, playing on my mind. A great example of how powerful cinema can be when done properly