A unique World War II rescue.

Rating: 5/10 (19 June 2014)

Based on true historical events with Hollywood latitudes. George Clooney directs, shares in the screenplay and stars in this World War II race against time. Walter Garfield(Clooney)organizes a crew of historians and museum curators into a military platoon, with one objective...to recover and rescue renown works of art. Artistic masterpieces have been stolen by Nazi thieves throughout Europe to be placed in a soon to be built personal Hitler museum. The treasure troves of culture become trapped behind enemy lines and Hitler has ordered the masterpieces to be set afire as he is faced with the fact that the Reich is falling. The special unit, given the moniker of Monuments Men, must stop the destruction of over a thousand years of culture.
There of course is disturbing images of war violence. Some dialogue to lighten the gravity of the drama could have been left on the cutting room floor. A very talented cast, but some efforts come across bland and pointless. Clooney and Matt Damon just don't seem to fit their roles. Other cast members include: Bill Murray, John Goodman, Bob Balaban, Jean Dujardin, Dimitri Leonidas, Hugh Bonneville and Cate Blanchett.