Stefanie's film studies

Rating: 6/10 (21 December 2005)

Steve, Nick and Mike all had very different varying personalities, that most would think to clash, but actually their unique personalities helped pull and keep them together. Mike was the leader, he was strong and forceful with a bad temper, but he knew how to keep his cool which helps out in sticky situations. Mike is the foundation of the group, everyone depends on him for advice, help and boots. Nicky was the easygoing, reasonable friend who seemed to get along with anyone. I think Nicky tried to be strong like Mike, but he just wasn't as emotionally stable. Steve was sort of the baby of the group, everyone took care of him and made sure he was okay. Mike was clearly made for the army, he was not only brawny, but he had a hard mind set, he knew what he needed to do and how to do it. For example when he, Nicky and Steve are trapped in the POW camp, he plans, on the go, to escape with his fellow comrades. Nicky and Steve could not deal with war, it was more psychological and emotional than physical for them. Steve's needy personality caused him to not be able to go on without support of the others. Steve ends up losing his legs and being transplanted in a veteran's hospital. Nicky's personality allows him to live on his own, just not in a physical safe way. He was very malleable, he could become what other people wanted. By the end of the film, he is a mindless zombie, only living, because he could not die. All three of their personalities foreshadowed how they would act in the war, but I was surprised that Nicky died. I thought that it would have been Steve who died, because he seemed to have a weaker mind set. This could have happened differently, I don't think Mike would have died, because he couldn't. He was too much of a leader and it would have ruined the film if he had died. Nicky was my favourite character so when he died, it made me sad. I think that Steve should have died, not because he wasn't a likable character, but because he was so much weaker than everyone else in the film. Overall, I liked the ending and series of events, because it still portrays Steve depending on others and Mike being the leader, it was continuous in following their personalities.