Stellar performances by Leo, Matt, Jack, Alec and even Mark

Rating: 8/10 (16 February 2007)

For two hours, I was mesmerized and had this movie ranked a 10. But the last half hour left me feeling dissatisfied. Sometimes that is thought-provoking and stimulating; this was frustrating. While the deaths came as no real surprise, the rapid succession made each inconsequential. I was highly invested in these characters, and I, the audience, deserved a fitting reckoning, a flourish. A shot in the head by a civilian! No humiliation; no atonement. The rat symbolism was contrived, and definitely not compensation for a muddy ending. So why did I still give it an 8? Because it was a really good movie; the disappointing thing is it not ending up a great movie.