Thursday, September 15, 2005
ENDING
We know how it ends.
But this take on the military fiasco at
works its way into the heart and makes the shear insanity of war all the more vivid.
Using the friendship of two runners, Mel Gibson (young and dewy here) and Mark Lee, the stark facts of the battle gain human dimension.
Of course, one may quibble about the trench warfare aspect of this battle. It is not the same as modern warfare which we know is much more surgical and less prone to senseless mass killing. Yeh. Right. So huh?
Kids in Iraq. Car bombs. Going into places we shouldn't be. Leadership that has it all in their nuts to go over the top. All that.
The film is beautiful to watch and the relationship between the two men unfolds slowly and in considerable depth. It is also a good buddy picture.
There are some socko moments: the naked soldiers swimming and taking their first fire; the realization on arrival (at the pyramids) that this is an ancient tale as well as a modern one; the use of lighting to suggest a lot of the action, strobic.
Peter Wier is the director and we will be seeing more of his films in this Best NYTimes 1176 Film series.
I will give it a 4 out of Netflix5.
