Good intentions miss their mark...

Rating: Null/10 (3 October 2004)

A very sensitive and gentle treatment to what was a horrific battle. This is the movie Hollywood needed to make to lie to rest its tortured past with this heroic subject matter. How could you fault the moviemakers' intentions? However, as entertainment it seems lacking. That could have more to do with the film's PG-13 rating. (to be kind to the director) But I couldn't feel the violence, realism or impact needed to pull it off.
What distanced this film? Pacing? There was a problem with pacing but it was something more. Did the filmmakers wilt under their responsibility to history? Probably. Including Houston's battle to win Texas at the end of the film was confusing and typified a lack of focus on the John Lee Hancock's part.
Could you imagine this same subject matter using "Black Hawk Down" as a production model? It would have peeled back the eyes of the audience. As it is, no sun block needed.