Intense shock value overshadows brilliant story

Rating: 7/10 (3 September 2005)

Tigerland is nothing short of average. Despite it's critical acclaims and longstanding fans I found the film to be just okay and went straight for shock value which in a film about war, in particular a brutal war such as Vietnam this could be a good thing but the shock value doesn't come from war but just pure mainstream "R" Rated Garbage. Tigerland will burn out your ears from even the most seasoned swearer...brings a new meaning to swears like a sailor. There are some brilliant and incredibly emotional performances and a great story as well but it's overshadowed but what seems to me to be unrealistic violence and if I am wrong I gladly take it back.
Tigerland takes place entirely in a fiction "boot camp" of sorts that trains young soldiers to go to Nam. If Americans truly treated each other in this fashion which is nothing short of horrible torture to each other, and completely undemocratic behavior. Joel Schumacher is definitely a seasoned director and has done everything from comic adaptations (two Batman films) to action, to suspense to musicals. He seems to me to be a "hit and miss" director. He doesn't really have a defined style and some of his films are good and some aren't and I think it more depends on the story presented to him than his direction.
Tigerland is fascinating in the way that it's a completely different angle on the Vietnam war. Instead of seeing actual battle we see soldiers preparing to go to a war that most of them don't believe in, we see their lives that they don't want to leave and beneath their tough exterior. Colin Farrell who is generally heralded for this film does a good job, don't get me wrong, in fact it might be one of his best performances as the defiant and seemingly selfish Pvt. Roland Bozz. But he's not the stand out role in the film. He does a good job and his character development is excellent but it's not stunning. Instead some of the lesser roles turn out to be the really watchable ones. Clifton Collins Jr. plays Pvt. Miter who tries his utmost to fit in but ends up in a serious break down. Shea Whigham as the insane, angry Pvt. Wilson also does a great job. Combined with all the other seemingly minor roles these characters create an intense, dark and gritty atmosphere. Unfortunately this is overshadowed with graphic sex scene, horrid language and brutality that seems unrealistic. The story itself seems filled with plot holes. If soldiers were truly tortured in this nature why would they let soldiers go so easily?? It raises too many questions being entirely fictional. Nonetheless for adults who really want to see a different angle on the Nam war. 7/10