Big disappointment

Rating: 5/10 (27 January 2000)

Though there are some fine performances (especially from Ben Chaplin), I found this film rather boring and very manipulative. It is sad to say that with all the death in this film, the most wrenching moment for me was when Chaplin's character answered mail call. His and Koteas' characters were the only ones I cared about. I did like the use of the different narratives, but c'mon...did everyone who fought (and whose minds we were allowed to enter) have a Texan or southern drawl? Sometimes, it was difficult to distinguish between the actor's voices during narratives. Personally, I don't like a film that doesn't give me a sense of space. During battle scenes, I wasn't sure who was who and where everyone was. This can add to the feeling of what it is like to really fight in a war, but, to me (a simple viewer) it was only an annoyance.
I also don't respond well to films which are obviously trying to convey messages, as this film did in its war/nature/death themes. Flashing to images of nature destroyed, nature beautiful in moments of chaos....the filmmakers tried too hard. It was overkill. Characters also seemed to "get lost" during the film. A character would be in a scene, have a dramatic moment, then I wouldn't see him again until 20 minutes (just an estimate) later. That's why I didn't care for many characters...I didn't get time to know them, even though I was in some of their heads! Some people like these kinds of "artsy" films; they're not my cup of cocoa.