After the
disheartening review on the day I was scheduled to go watch this movie, I braced myself to a disaster when I went inside the theater. The movie is a war movie. I have to confess that I have the belief that most (if not all) American war movies are propaganda.
This is a guy movie. A typical young man's ultimate movie - ALL the ugly things men need in a movie - war filled with bombs, tricks, blood, terror, no wishy-washy emotions and not much conversation...
Based on war-torn Baghdad, the movie explores if war is addictive like a drug. Iraqi people hate the presence of the Americans and show it by bombing them any chance they get and anyhow they can even if they suffer casualties. A brave and fearless man that thrives on disarming bombs is deployed there after a fatal bomb blast that kills a team leader.
What I liked about the movie (yes, I liked some things)
- They didn't kill off the black guy first.(as they often do). Man-darkie are always the first to go in combat movies, even when there's only one of us in the damn movie- remember Sleuth, etc
- The movie is about bravery and courage
- The big names (Guy Pierce, Ralph Fiennes) had small roles
- My adrenaline and testestorone pumped in and I liked the overall suspense of the movie
what I hated about the movie
- Propaganda! Propaganda! Propaganda! American war movie propaganda - (it might be my bias talking)
-Even as an ACTION movie, some conversation would have been really nice.. so yah, there wasn't much talk...
Ladies, Just in case you are expecting some hot muscular scenes of the American soldiers... you will not see much of this...
Anthony Mackie scene from Million dollar baby
BUT you will see most of this....
Anthony Mackie scene from The Hurt Locker
So, men grab each others hands and go kumbayah at the movies. I give the movie a 3/5.
The movie starts showing at Nu-Metro theaters on the 26 March 2010.