General comment, cast & crew, screenplay, plot, score

Rating: 9/10 (10 November 2002)

WARNING: MINOR PLOT POINTS GIVEN AWAY AHEAD
Those who watched TIGERLAND and categorized it as 'just another war film' have unfortunately missed the heart and soul of a modern cinematic masterpiece. Yes, this is another film based around the 1970's where war, weed and free love were at their most abundant and yes this is another film based around the Vietnam chronicles but embedded within you will not find the cliches served to the viewers so richly in films such as Platoon and Full Metal Jacket (though these films are also more than outstanding). There is no top of the pops 70's hits here; no amped up boys-to-men themes; no serious sex, drugs and rock-n-roll scenes to woo the emotionally and visually unintelligent; no, this film does not exist to insult your intelligence. This is not another handbook to the life and times of a Vietnam soldier. This is a narrative of a different kind of hell, with a different kind of hero.
The plot surrounds a group of young men faced with the most horrific of boot camps before they even hit the warfields of Vietnam, where they battle themselves, their leaders, and each other. Standing boldly in the face of the unnrelenting authority figures is Roland Bozz, a young man from Texas who carries with him a higher regard for life than the war weary world is willing to offer him. His in-your-face attitude doesn't hold him in strong stead with his fellow understudies but his constant defiance for a war that is not of his making and willingness to aid fellow soldiers in getting them out of their tour of duty brings him a hard earned respect. He is made a constant example of by the harsh and brutal camp leaders but with a wry grin and never-ending petrol tank of courage and spirit he fights on to motivate and inspire his fellow squad members and eventually prevails, never conceding an inch to anyone, and therein lies the real secret to the heart of the film.
Director Joel Schumacher, who has seemingly been in hiding from his recent disasters (see the worst Batman flicks and the below par 8mm) has come back with a film so strikingly original in the current quagmire of bogged down Hollywood films you wish he was working with this kind of miniscule budget forever more. Shot in a little under 28 days mostly with a hand held camera it is so easy to fall into the thought that this is a radical documentary. The wavering camera and sharp cuts instill in the film a lot of honesty and much credit must also go to cinematographer Matthew Libatique for the dark greys and general murkiness that the screen projects.

Colin Farrel has staked himself here as the benchmark of actors wishing to be utterly mesmerising on debut. When on screen, as he is 95% of the time, he commands total attention. He carries this film from its opening minutes to its brave finale with such screen presence it is hard to cast ones mind back to find a lead actor that has been so overwhelmingly well cast, and indeed acted so well, for a role.
This film is an absolute must see and will utterly entrance you for the entirety of its 101 minute running time. Inspired acting and brilliant direction combine with impeccable writing to hopefully bring audiences a film that sets a new tone for films out of Hollywood - direct, confronting, unpredictable, entrancing and emotionally intrinsic.
Scores a 9 / 10