Tigerland

Plot synopsis:
It is September 1971 and it is clear that the US is losing the Vietnam War. In the opinion of the average American soldier who came of age during the Peace movement of the 1960s, Vietnam was "lost a long time ago". Roland Bozz (Colin Farrell), a draftee who is opposed to the war, is shown to be an unruly soldier with no respect for authority; he disobeys orders and talks back to his superiors. He quickly befriends another recruit, Jim Paxton (Matthew Davis), an aspiring writer who records his experiences in a personal journal. Unlike Bozz, Paxton volunteered for the Army. Upon reaching their post, the company commanding officer Captain Saunders makes it clear that every soldier who passes through Fort Polk and Tigerland will be sent to Vietnam. He also states that any political views on the war are irrelevant at this point.
As the film progresses, another side of Bozz is shown. Having "x-ray vision for loopholes", Bozz finds ways for soldiers to get out of the army—one because he not only has children but also a handicapped wife; another soldier, Miter (Clifton Collins Jr.), who joined to prove his manhood but finds himself way over his head. At one point, another soldier approaches Bozz while on leave and asks for help getting out, saying "I was told if you don't wanna go to 'Nam, you either pray to Jesus, or go see Roland Bozz." Bozz also shows his reasoning behind being opposed to the war: his human compassion. Eventually Bozz's natural leadership and ability earns him the title of squad leader (sometimes called acting Jack). Another private, Wilson (Shea Whigham), a racial bigot and instigator, continuously demeans Miter and Bozz. Bozz is the only one that retaliates, which results in a fight between the two. Paxton helps break up the fight and also earns the hatred of Wilson.
Later, while doing live fire exercises, Wilson threatens Bozz with a pistol. Bozz tries to disarm Wilson, and the two wrestle each other to the ground, Wilson getting the upper hand and putting the gun to the back of Bozz's head and pulling the trigger. Miraculously, the gun misfires, saving Bozz's life. The Commanding Officer lets Bozz choose the punishment: have Wilson court-martialed or "let me deal with him", strongly suggesting the latter. Despite the commanding officer strongly pressing to let him deal with it, Bozz says he wants Wilson "out of the army" because he recognizes Wilson has taken an emotional beating ever since his inability to command became obvious. Bozz leaves the office saying he wants Wilson out.
The platoon is sent to "Tigerland", a forested training area designed as the best possible replica of Vietnam. During an exercise, Bozz's squad acts as villagers in a mock Vietnamese village, with one squad member designated as a "VC sympathizer". They compete with another squad charged with rooting out the sympathizer. This other squad is led by Wilson, who was not kicked out of the army after all. As the exercise ends with Bozz's squad "winning", Wilson tells Bozz he will kill him no matter what it takes. Soon thereafter, Bozz is about ready to make an escape to Mexico with the aid of some civilians he has paid. Platoon member Johnson (Russell Richardson) sees him and tells him to stop; Johnson tells him if he runs away, Wilson will go after Paxton instead of Bozz and he will be responsible for his friend's death. The scene ends with Bozz apparently climbing into the van, but the next morning as the platoon falls in, Bozz comes back, acting as if he had merely gone off to urinate.
During the last training exercise, Bozz's squad and Wilson's squad are pitted against each other on patrolling missions. As Wilson's squad prepares for an attack, he replaces his blank cartridges with live ammunition and removes his blank-firing adaptor. As Bozz's squad nears, he opens fire. Though he does not hit anyone, it is obvious he is using live ammunition, and the trainer for the exercise tries to intervene. As he does, Bozz is standing above Paxton and deliberately fires a blank round with his rifle muzzle near Paxton's face, the flash wounding Paxton's eye. The trainer aims a pistol at Wilson's head to get him to hold his weapon up and surrender, telling him he will be court-martialed.
At the end of the film, the entire platoon gets ready to head to Vietnam, except Paxton whose eye injury, though not permanent, has earned him a medical discharge. Bozz and the others board a bus, and he and Paxton exchange farewells through a window. Paxton tells Bozz he is going to write about him, but Bozz says he won't. He has stolen Paxton's journal and rips out pages as the platoon's bus drives off, leaving Paxton scrambling to recover them. Bozz tosses the journal as the bus speeds away.
Paxton then is told that Bozz died in Vietnam but he was never listed, others say he just disappeared, but another soldier calls Paxton and says that he thinks he saw Bozz three years ago in Mexico with a beautiful woman.

Tags: violence, cruelty, storytelling

Review:
But the point the film is making is that many, if not most, of the young guys drafted into the army in the late 60s and early 70s absolutely did not want, or deserve, to be there.Roland Bozz is one of those young men.
However, his actions do not just affect him and he starts to change his ways slightly, but the stresses and the potential for death in Vietnam push all the men to breaking point.Sold as a war movie, this film is more like the first half of Full Metal Jacket than a full on war movie set in a combat zone.
Outside of him, everyone plays well but are generally in their various stereotypes; aside from Farrell, Collins is the standout role - too often seen playing gang bangers and such on TV cops shows, he delivers a solid character and presents a believable breakdown over the course of the film.Keeping my habit of never paying to see an Schumacher film since Batman & Robin took the last faith in his talent, I waited for this to come onto TV.
TIGERLAND Aspect ratio: 1.85:1Sound format: Dolby DigitalLouisiana, 1971: During basic training, a rebellious army conscript (Colin Farrell) causes dissension within the ranks.Given Joel Schumacher's reputation as a schlockmeister par excellence, most critics were caught off-guard by this low-budget drama, filmed without any of the frills and fripperies normally associated with Hollywood blockbusters, and headlined by little more than obscure (but hugely experienced) character actors and talented newcomers, including Farrell, whose bravura performance launched him to international stardom.
Far removed from the extravagant Vietnam-operas favored by Francis Ford Coppola and Oliver Stone, Schumacher's film examines the contradictions of war and the dehumanizing effect of combat on ordinary men through the experiences of Farrell's anti-hero, a compassionate man who despises the self-serving patriotic nonsense peddled by his superiors, and who refuses to compromise his own ideals, despite the sometimes painful repercussions of his disobedience.Though backed by a major studio, TIGERLAND has the look and feel of a low-budget indie production, using hand-held camera-work and grainy film-stock for documentary effect, and this uncompromising 'Dogme'-like approach allows Schumacher to focus his attention on the characters and their situation rather than the pyrotechnics which usually dominate such movies.
Set circa 1971 Louisiana in a special Army training camp for new recruits prior to shipment in the ongoing war and told in flashback by one of the survivors the film centers its bare bones plot around the able shoulders of Irish newcomer Farrell in a potential star-making turn as Private Roland Bozz (think 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' in fatigues and you get the overall impression), a feckless troublemaker of his platoon whose antics have a method to his madness: keeping yourself alive despite the odds.
It focuses on two men--Booz (Colin Farrell) and Paxton (Matthew Davis)...how they meet, become friends and deal with a corwardly squadron leader (Clifton Collins Jr.) and a borderline psycho (Shea Wingham).A surprisingly non-commercial film directed by Joel Schumacher.
TIGERLAND / (2000) ***1/2 (out of four)By Blake French:	Throughout the years audiences have seen and understood war films with every point of view possible, and somehow producers and writers always come up with new and innovative methods of portraying various soldiers on the battlefield.
Joel Schumacher ("8MM," "A Time to Kill"), easily one of the riskiest directors currently working, has found resemblance with "The Thin Red Line" in the way his new drama "Tigerland" steps in an individual soldier's shoes.
I am sure some of them are, but the movie views its uncompromising world through the eyes of a young man named Roland Bozz (Colin Farrell), who is rebellious against the ideas of war.
Not for a single moment does "Tigerland" know weather it wants to be an anti-Vietnam movie in particular or an anti-war movie in general or a study on the effects of harsh, often even inhuman military training on young, unsuspecting males or a melodramatic comedy or a buddy movie or a too-clever-for-its-own-good-remake of Walter Hill´s masterpiece "Southern Comfort" (1981).
The longer the movie is running the more does it back my suspicion that for box-office-reasons Mr. Schumacher secretly wants his audience to root for "Tigerland"´s hero because of his warrior´s abilities and not because of his contrasting, alas half-hearted tries to desert the army.
The film itself does NOT actually go to Vietnam.The whole character of Roland Bozz (memorably played by Colin Farrell) is utterly intriguing.
While TIGERLAND's plot is quite gripping, it's essentially a character-driven film in the end, and the exemplary acting by just about everyone is what makes it such a success.I've noticed some other reviewers'--some of whom actually trained at Fork Polk during the Vietnam years--objections to TIGERLAND's depiction of the U.S. Army, particularly in regards to its training methods and employment of borderline-psychotic instructors.
Directed by Joel Schumacher, Tigerland stars Colin Farrell as Private Roland Bozz, a reluctant recruit to the war effort who upsets his superiors by having a canny knack for exploiting loop holes in the rule book.
Helped enormously by Klavan drawing on his real life experiences in the army, Tigerland doesn't hurtle towards its climax (a climax that is understated and poignant), it takes its time, characters are formed and with the then unknown Farrell on stupendously bewitching form, it's as engaging as a Vietnam film gets.
A forgotten film and a war film with no actual war in it, Michael Schumacher's criminally underrated and vastly underseen gem is one of the eclectic filmmaker's best feature films and the film that launched its then relatively unknown star Colin Farrell into the Hollywood scene.Released to solid reviews but a paltry box office run in 2000, Tigerland is a fictionalised account of the Louisiana based army training camp of the same name that operated in the 1960's/early 70's to get American soldiers ready to not only make it in the US Army but to survive the harsh, unrelenting and life and death surroundings of the increasingly hated Vietnam war.Focussing its attention on a small core of raggedy wannabe soldiers that includes Farrell's disruptive and calculating Roland Bozz, Matthew Davis's thoughtful Jim Paxton, Clifton Collins Jr's on edge Pvt. Miter and Shea Whigham's unhinged Pvt. Wilson, Schumacher's film doesn't feel dissimilar to one long extended take on the beginnings of Full Metal Jacket but it carves out its own unique slice of war pie and becomes a totally unique and quietly moving study on the Vietnam war and those that inhabited it.It's a brave move by Schumacher to eschew going to the muddy battlegrounds of Vietnam but it pays dividends for Tigerland's fortunes.Filmed in a grainy, documentary like style with 16mm cameras, Tigerland feels like a genuine product of the era and there's very little cinematic flair to the film which is unusual for Schumacher who has found his greatest successes with over the top productions and big budget events.
With a realistic feel, Tigerland's power to portray war away from the actual gunfights of Vietnam is impressive as these man all begin to understand themselves and come to realise what they really want, whether it's to fight or flee.Farrell's character of Roland Bozz is also one of the more memorable creations in the war genre of cinema.
A man who could clearly be the type of one-eyed American pride soldier the Army is seeking but instead becomes a constant nuisance, refusing to give in to a war he doesn't believe in and a cause he can't get behind, it's a transfixing performance by Farrell and Bozz is a character that will continue to surprise for the entirety of the running time.Overall Tigerland features a hugely impressive ensemble of actors and will likely remain one of Schumacher's most impressive feats as a director of actors and a restrained yet powerful piece of the filmmakers varying catalogue of feature films.Final Say - A war film with a truly identifiable difference, Tigerland is easily one of Schumacher's best films and actor Colin Farrell's finest moment in front of camera, a turn he slowly seems to be inching towards once more with his recent works.
This will culminate in a visit to the infamous 'Tigerland', an area made to look and feel like Viet Nam. One soldier, Pvt. Roland Bozz, doesn't want to be there and he tries everything he can to get himself discharged, but the Army won't budge.
Good performances all round, particularly from; Colin Farrell as Bozz, Matthew Davis as Paxton, Clifton Collins Jr. as Miter, Tom Guiry as Cantwell and Shea Whigham as Wilson.As I said at the beginning, I have seen this film before, but I really couldn't remember much about it.
Joel Schumacher's 'Tigerland' follows the standard template, we see men treated like dirt but emerging as soldiers, with a degree of mutual respect for their commanding officers, and judgement is reserved on whether such an extreme process can be considered justified; as is judgement of the merits of the war for which they are being trained (typically, as here, Vietnam).
Not mine, of course, but nevertheless a maxim that seems especially relevant in these times of fighting first and seeking answers to the important questions later.I like that Colin Farrell as 'Bozz' is not necessarily an anti-hero in the "Catcher-in-the-Rye" style sense; or a character who's too strong for his own movie (it belongs to a few other notables just as much as he).
If you want to watch a movie and feel good about watching it, then Tigerland is the film for you.
When this film was released at the cinema in the U.k. I heard lots of complaints because it was at very few cinemas, what I was not that fussed about at the time because I didn't know to much about the film.But with the many positive reviews I read in many film magazines I decided to buy it when it was released on DvD at my local film store.So that night when I sent down to watch it I was completely fixed on my television screen because of the great storyline and great characters that you hated, liked and felt sorry for.This film really showed the horror of war and this was before they had got to Vietnam yet.The best character in the film has to be Private Roland Bozz(Colin Farrell) who took all of your attention every time he was on screen which make sense as he was the main character, and who would of thought the actor from the BallyKissAngel would ever get this big.But all of the actors who played the young recruits were very good and also the high ranking soldiers were great also with some of them really making you hate them conpletely, and that most be great for an actor who is playing that sort of charactor because it shows they have played them well.THis sort of film makes you not want to join the army and it also shows you what a war can do to people in these emotional and stressful times.So Tigerland is one of them films that you wish people took more interest in when it was at the cinema because it deserved it.Even if the director of Batman & Robin was directing it, he has completely redeemed himself in my eye.Rent it now or buy it you will not regret it8/10.
Acting is good - though I don't think the Bozz-character would've got away with a thing like this in real life, the story still feels very real..
"Just released from the base stockade, recruit Roland Bozz (Colin Farrell) joins a platoon of young soldiers preparing to ship out to Vietnam.
But when the platoon is sent to Tigerland, a hellish training ground that is the last stop before Vietnam, Bozz's leadership and loyalty brings his men together - triggering extraordinary consequences," according to the film's official synopsis.Mr. Farrell won a "Best Actor" award from the Boston Film Critics; and, the film's characterizations are a strength.
Training for Viet Nam. Colin Farrell stars in a film by Joel Schumacher.
Most interesting is the complexity of the lead character "Bozz" (played by Farrell) who looks for trouble, causes lots of friction, brings excessive problems upon himself, yet manages to get many of the men behind him in a time when that war was no longer a "gung ho" effort.
And of course, we have the overzealous, on the edge soldier who just wants to kill Charlie.Colin Farrell's performance is good as Bozz, but I can't help notice that his Irish accent steps in ocassionally in every movie I've seen him in.
Tigerland at least uses a fairly innovative setting (a training camp in the US rather than the actual war theatre -- which had the nice side effect of making it a fairly inexpensive movie to make, and which spared me the usual "Argh!
Takatakataka"-battle scenes), but any attempts to deliver new insights are stunted by director Joel Schumacher who instead prefers to go for a visual celebration of hunkiness coupled with wobbly hand-camera / digital video visuals.One particular scene that stuck to my mind, if only for it's unabashed campness, is when the film's lead buddies hang out together after they have just had sex with two nightclub floozies (like in all Vietnam movies, when the soldiers are not being yelled at by sadistic drill sergeants or engaging in battle scenes with more fireworks than July 4.th, they're instantly having sex with whorish women).
Tigerland has been created by the military to mimic the Vietnamese conditions and surroundings that the soldiers will experience - so it is kind of like a dry run, if you will, but it is no walk in the park, that's for sure!Colin Farrell is amazing in this film and is supported by a decent cast of unknowns.
The film actually reminds me a little of Full Metal Jacket, which certainly isn't a bad thing.I strongly urge you to watch this film at your next available opportunity, even if you don't like war movies - the film is more of a study of human nature - the war just provides a kind of backdrop for the well-written and well-acted story..
But Schumacher makes this work to his advantage (he usually makes his best movies,when he takes chances and tries something out of the ordinary) and,in blissful cooperation with Farrel, gives a very interesting look into the minds of young men pondering issues such as death and honor in the face of combat.
Colin Farrell, in his first American film, gives a wonderful performance.This is not a very long movie, unlike other Vietnam War epics, and the concentration on mainly character development and not on action means it's not for die-hard action fans.
He can flat out act.Tigerland may be the best Vietnam movie I've ever seen, even better than FULL METAL JACKET or PLATOON..
Tigerland is a film that starts off like most other army training type movies and turns into a very watchable and intelligent movie that is very well acted and leaves you will that thought of " wow , that was good" which in my opinion is the mark of a good film.
Joel Schumacher's "Tigerland" is indeed such a film.With a bravura debut by Irish actor Colin Farrell, Farrell plays Pvt. Bozz, a troublemaking soldier who has a method to his madness.
Director Joel Schumacher has given us a gripping, raw war movie about a group of army soldiers and their experiences on their last stop before being shipped over to Vietnam.
Although not a huge fan of war films, I thoroughly enjoyed this welcome return to form from Joel Schumacher.The photography and performances are excellent throughout and Colin Farrell is superb as the reluctant trainee Bozz.
The hidden star of Tigerland is the Vietnam war itself which, although never shown, overshadows events with a brooding presence you can actually feel.The film isn't without it's flaws (some of the characters and dialogue are stereotypical boot-camp stuff) but the most pleasing thing is that Joel is obviously prepared to take risks and not attempt an easy route back into favour.
Even when, in a postmodern moment, the cliches are acknowledged within the film by the main character, you always know what's coming, who's gonna fight, and when the big climax will occur.And so, in that sense, this movie was a disappointment.But the acting was great, the camera work was intense, the music was effective, and I enjoyed myself.
Just when you thought you'd had enough of Vietnam movies, comes Tigerland, a refreshingly poignant coming-of-age film that follows a bunch of wet-behind-the-ears Army recruits in the days before they're to be shipped off to war.Joel Schumacher recovers nicely from the car wreck otherwise known as Batman & Robin, invoking subtle performances from a cast of unknowns, led by the magnetic Colin Farrell as Private Bozz, a ne'er-do-well whose motives become clear as the movie unfolds.
Director Joel Schumacher used a hand held camera to film the movie and how he handles the direction is terrific.
I wasn't expecting the highest calibre of film-making with Joel Schumacher directing this one, so I was surprised that TIGERLAND wasn't a complete waste of time.In technique, it's often derivative of SAVING PRIVATE RYAN with the shaky camera work, grainy shots, the film occasionally running like it's skipping a sprocket---all those techniques Speilberg used to make his film seem more realistic but in the end was more distracting than anything else.But unlike SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, the emotional component wasn't as weak, as the characters in this film seemed more like real people and the story less contrived, not so wrapped up in the American flag (Speilberg gets an 'F' in subtlety).Next to the first section of Kubrick's FULL METAL JACKET, this is the most realistic portrayal of boot camp that I have seen in a film, and for that I think it's worth watching.It's not a great film, but neither is it a bad film..