Tag: War Movies

A Farewell to Arms (1932) Film Review

“Let’s love tonight,” they said, “There may be no tomorrow!”

Rating PG
Length 1h30
Release 08.12.1932
Director Frank Borage
About An American ambulance driver in the Italian forces falls in love with an English Red Cross nurse and their relationship is tested by WWI and stressful circumstances.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: BBC IPlayer
Trailer:

The Good

The sets are really beautiful and while the close ups have that hazy look to them, but the wide and mid shots are okay and well framed.

There are transition scenes; the location or passage of time in which the film expresses some whimsy. Seeing the smoke of the train write out Milan was adorable.

There’s a section, not long after we’re informed that Frederic is in Milan that we get a section of pov shots. It’s quite a moving way of establishing Frederic being in a hospital. They’re really quite effective only being able to see the ceiling as he’s wheeled to his room, faces voices answering his questions.

The Bad

I know it will be reflective of the time, but the admonishment of Catherine and Frederic’s conversation about children in their future. How the fuck do you have a successful and healthy relationship without talking about such things before marriage?!
Yes, okay, society was very different then and it was a religious imperative for family life to take place within a marriage. However, it just really hit me as a really toxic and sure-fire way of having a really unhappy couple.

Helen Hayes may have given a strong performance in terms of character and emotions, however her accent is appalling. There’s scenes where she gives up completely.

The war time montage with only a musical score was really hard to follow. Slightly too quick edits in fast succession. Slowing it down and adding some dialogue would have just filled in the gap.

The Ugly

This film has been edited and cut up to a detrimental effect. Not the director’s fault, but more a reflection of the time and the introduction of the Hays Code. They are harsh and rushed cuts that are obvious to anyone who watches.

I get the sense that the romantic thread is only part of the original story. The war was almost a backdrop to the romance instead of an integral part of who they all were and the decisions they made.
The film could have demonstrated the action of war a little more.

Final Thoughts

A decent film for the time in which it was made. I would love to see the original cut of it as the way it stands, its a little too rough and choppy.

The Hurt Locker (2008) Film Review

Rating 15
Length 2h11
Release 28.08.2008
Director Kathryn Bigelow
About Sergeant William James is tasked with leading a bomb disposal team during the Iraq War. But his ideologies and reckless approach towards the job gives rise to conflicts with his subordinates.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Now TV
Trailer:

The Good

The film’s documentary style cinematography is such a brave choice. It feels like a nod to Third Cinema and allows the film to develop an intimate and raw presentation. What I do admire, is that while taking on the style of a documentary it does manage to establish itself as a work of fiction. It also manages to not feel like a propoganda film, like those made in the UK and US during WWII and Vietnam respectively.

The casting is on point. Not only in terms of our leads, but those lose too. From a Drew Barrymore moment early on, to a mid film rug pull… everyone is expendable and it keeps the audience on edge.
Jeremy Renner provides such a well rounded performance. The dangerous, maverick and the vulnerable father clash and compliment each other in a way other actors could never present with any authenticity. You knowing he shouldn’t be there, yet also knowing his skills are incredible means that your heart will be in your mouth for most of the action.

The Bad

There are few parts I struggled to follow. I think the British representatives were mercenaries rather than military. If that’s the case, were they on the same side? The British also seem to just disappear and leave the US team pinned down and in danger. Would that happen?
By extension, would a military team be as small as three men as it is shown here? I accept that they’re specialist, however for the very reason of the lack of teamwork and shift in working relationships, I would imagine a team would be much bigger and working on rotation to support the much bigger platoons?!
I think I would have benefitted from a little hand holding here. What would normally take place in the “redeployment” scene that does not take place is where I would gain most of this information but I do wish the film had taken the time to redistribute and provide context for those of us without a working knowledge of military life.

The Ugly

This film, intentional or not, shows the damage of warfare on soldiers and what I see as poor management decisions that are taken without consideration of consequence. It’s the most horrific part of the story; the team became as volatile as any of the explosives they attempt to neutralise and you have at least two members who are not in a mentally stable condition to be in that environment.
We don’t see the decisions being made, we don’t get the scene in which Jason is given his orders by a man behind a desk but their presence is heavy and it’s heartbreaking to know that those men should not have been in such high stress situations together without knowing how they would work together as team, or even whether they could trust each other. You also have a soldier who should have been sent home long before we meet him, if he should have been enrolled in the first place. These bad management decisions go on in all walks of life; bad leaders promoted, good workers overlooked. However seeing it present in a film based on real events and knowing the choices impact the body count? It leaves a shocking knot in your stomach long after the film has finished and the credits have rolled.

Final Thoughts

Certainly not an entertaining watch, and it will not leave you with the warm and fuzzies. However it is a raw, gut wrenching and captivating look at war without the traditional element of propaganda.

Movie Review: Dunkirk (2017)

Length: 1Hr 46

Rating: 12a

Release: 21st July 2017

About:In May 1940, Germany advanced into France, trapping Allied troops on the beaches of Dunkirk. Under air and ground cover from British and French forces, troops were slowly and methodically evacuated from the beach using every serviceable naval and civilian vessel that could be found. At the end of this heroic mission, 330,000 French, British, Belgian and Dutch soldiers were safely evacuated.

The Good

For me, this has the feel and style of Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan with an excellent stock of known and unknown British actors. For a War movie, I don’t think you can ask more than that.

Both Mark Rylance and Kenneth Branagh really are amazing in their roles. Neither is a stranger to stoic roles which is clear from their performances.

I actually found the lack of action in the form of on the ground battles quite refreshing and offered something completely different from films that have come before it.

Again, I feel as if this film wasn’t sugar coating war and laid some of the truths out there. While it’s very much a work of artistic licence, there are elements of truth to ensure this isn’t propaganda or censored sudo-history.

The Bad

I struggled with the time framing of the three elements: the land, sea and air. From about half way, there were people (Cillian Murphy being one) who doubled up in the narrative. While with Murphy, it acted almost like a flash back, other scenes didn’t quite work as well and it felt disjointed. I found it particularly difficult with Tom Hardy’s narrative as we’d cut from the grounded pilot and reaction shot to Tom Hardy and the same grounded pilot up in the air.

I didn’t invest in any of the characters other than the family on the Moonstone. They all seemed like a representation of ‘soldiers’ than individuals. For a character driven plot, I really need to be invested and certainly with our teen, Tommy, I needed conviction.

Not addressing Gibson’s mute nature sooner I found a bit distressing. I called it the moment we discover him burying an bootless foot. Perhaps I’m still too in the head of E B Sledge, but challenge him Tommy!! While it’s evident later that he’s not the enemy, the audience don’t know that.

The Ugly

For the first time, I’m not certain Hans Zimmer’s score complimented what was on the screen. Yes, it was tense. So tense in fact that three times I had to pause the film and take a break. However, there was either an instrument, chord or tone that was too reminiscent of Tron and Daft Punk’s electro pulses to gel with a period piece. (Clearly the two Oscar’s Dunkirk won for sound would imply I’m talking utter bollocks. However, I will stand by my opinion and state that I didn’t like it)

Love Han x