Run of the mill movie with megalomaniac tendencies!

Rating: 4/10 (9 January 2015)

This movie is a pretty basic Hollywood 'hero story', with somebody who overcomes diversity triumphantly. This movie even has it twice!
When you read the story behind this movie, you definitely think that there is a movie here. But the acting and story telling doesn't really catch on. Even though this type of story has been told over and over again, it could have been put into an interesting context, but it never really raises the bar. Even the parts that (i later found out) happened in real life, seems to be a means of glorifying the protagonist exclusively and i didn't really become sympathetic to him, because it just seemed so fake. (Spoiler) Especially the part of the movie where the prisoners had to get in line to punch him didn't seem believable, if Jolie had shot the scene as it is depicted in the book, where more prisoners than him are being punched, it might have seemed more believable. So all in all, it could have been a great movie, but it never really becomes more than an attempt at conveying a moving story. Watch it if you like war movies and have to much time on your hands.