Great Fights, Boring Unbelievable Characters

Rating: Null/10 (26 February 2003)

This movie goes from a snore to engaging. It has a bunch of hillybilly WWII soldiers (who would be, more than likely nominal Christians) spouting post--modernism (a movement that didn't pick up steam in the US until after WWII). There is not one character that we, the audience, cares about. Not one. Every time you think you can get to know a character you're introduced to three more. And they're all spouting the same anti-war, existential mumbo-jumbo in the form of voice overs. And we, don't care. Then the guns start blazing, ah, we care. The violence is real and painful. Some of the best battle scenes ever shot. But it could be more than that. It could be emotionally moving but since we don't know, or care, about these philosophical soldiers it's just a great battle sequence. There is some great acting, but it's like the actors just had their short films, with no character development (the writer's not the actors' fault). This movie might be good to watch on DVD, just skip to the battle scenes and go take a nap. It's the same thing as sitting through this movie.