Movie Saved Only By The Excellent Acting Performances

Rating: 5/10 (30 April 2007)

I saw this film in 2000 and remember finding it confusing. As I had watched it in 10/15 minute snippets, I attributed this to be the primary reason and promised myself to watch it again in one go, to have a more fairer impression. Although the film was considered commercially a box-office failure, it divided critics and moviegoers into a hate-it-or-love-it situation, and until today remains so.
I eventually had the chance to see this all in one go last night, and the end conclusion was that the film was not only confusing, it was also overlong and had no particular direction.
My feeling is that the Director could have taken it in a better direction, especially with the Capt Staros demotion and the death of Pvt Witt. The demotion could have had more repercussions, especially onto Lt Col Tall, as from the Capts, troops, and moviegoers opinion, the disobey of orders was the right decision. Witt's death was a testament of his own personal battle and his eventual escape from the horrors of war, and his ultimate sacrifice for his troops, and should therefore have been better handled, if not been made the ending of the film itself.
The confusing and numerous narrations also deserves question, as we all know the proverb 'too many cooks spoil the broth'.
What ultimately saved the film for me were the excellent performances of the actors, in spite of the sometimes short appearances. I wish I had seen this film properly those last few years back, as I would have noticed Caviezel earlier than the 'snuff film' Passion of the Christ.