Tag: military

INVASION – Review

A scene from the Dutch action film INVASION. Courtesy of WellGo USA

I can’t recall any military or other action flicks coming here from the Netherlands. But back in the days when the western hemisphere was being carved up by European powers, they grabbed their share of the turf. Although mostly supplanted in subsequent centuries, they still have dominion over the Caribbean islands of Curacau and Aruba. So when the fictional dictator of the fictional Veragua pulls a sneak attack on both of those islands, creating the title for INVASION (originally INVASIE), it’s time for the Dutch Marines to save the day.

What unfolds is a by-the-numbers soldiering sojourn as our handful of intrepid marines and naval forces find ways to oust occupiers, save hostages and overcome personal issues we’re supposed to care about. There’s the first female member of the Corps, a guy with a career-ending fear of heights, some brave family members among both the ranks and the civilians, etc. As one would expect, the military side is hampered by political machinations in Holland and the Hague. And so it goes. Almost everything is in Dutch and from the viewpoint of the defenders. The Veraguans might as well be aliens from another galaxy for all the insight we get into them and their motives.

The action sequences are well done, and the Caribbean setting provides a lovely backdrop for the proceedings – especially overhead shots of jungles, forests and coastlines. Performances, dialog and plot threads are all more standard than any genre fan would prefer. The body count is relatively low, with little needing to be spent on fake blood.

You’re probably familiar with the phrase “deus ex machina,” which describes a big problem in a story being resolved by an unlikely element suddenly arriving out of the blue, as if a god strolled in from an unknown bullpen just when they needed it most. Well, this one’s polytheistic, with THREE Deuses (Deisi? Dei?) contributing to aspects of the outcome.

Other than the novelty of its nationality, there’s nothing to make this one’s best option among such films. The pace is good, coming in at a brisk 91 minutes without the slowdowns of excessive exposition. Those who speak the language will probably be more entertained than others.

INVASION, mostly in Dutch with smatterings of Spanish with English subtitles, opens in select theaters and is available in video on demand from WellGo USA starting Friday, Feb. 21, 2025.

RATING: 1.5 out of 4 stars

THE CONTRACTOR (2022) – Review

Just a few weeks after the release of the armed forces “dramedy” DOG, Hollywood calls upon another of its “hunkiest” action stars/leading men to don the “camo” and “gear up”. Now there’s no specially trained canines to chase after in this film, but like Channing Tatum’s Briggs, this movie’s focus wants desperately to get “back in” and rejoin his “band of brothers” in the current “hot spot”. If only he was given a road trip/mission like Briggs. That’s the main reason his “title” changes. He’s not “the soldier”, but rather THE CONTRACTOR.


That “warrior” is named James (Chris Pine), who is still considered “wounded”. We first see him in his early morning routine in order to get his body back into fighting shape after taking a bullet to his right knee in his last tour of duty. But the jogging and the weightlifting “reps’ at his cabin “sanctuary” deep in the woods aren’t enough, prompting a few “injection enhancements. Unfortunately, the “docs” at the local military camp are able to detect his “juicing” and Jim is officially discharged from Special Forces. So how will he be able to keep the home he shares with nursing student/wife Brianne (Gillian Jacobs) and their pre-teen son Jack (Sander Thomas)? As the “past due” notices pile up and debt collectors fill their answering machine, James is enticed by a visit with his old “grunt buddy” Mike (Ben Foster). Seems that Mike has been earning loads of cash by offering his “special skills” as a military contractor, who “slips in under the radar”. He puts James in contact with the director of the contracting company, another vet named Rusty (Keifer Sutherland), who offers a nice “gig”. Despite Brianne’s pleading, James gets his gear in working order and joins Mike in an undercover assignment in Berlin. They’ve got to ‘scoop up” a radical scientist that’s creating biological weapons. And though the plan is simple, several things go “sideways’ as James is separated from the team and becomes a “loose end” to be “severed”, As his wound acts up can James keep himself alive and somehow make it back to the states?


Taking a break from the twin “tentpole” franchises that are WONDER WOMAN and STAR TREK, Pine proves that he can get “down and dirty” as a “working Joe”/action hero carrying (he may be in every scene) this grim “grabbed from the headline” dramatic thriller. James is no “super-soldier” as he winces in pain pushing his battered body in the opening “getting back in shape” sequence. But that’s merely a prelude to the agony to come. First up is humiliation and frustration as his military “home” pushes him aside adding extra tension to his actual home as Pine shows us the worry closing in on James as forces “pick him clean”, making him to grasp at any lifeline, no matter how shady. And when the “payday” goes awry PIne shows us how James tries to ignore his old and new wounds while holding on to his moral code which further complicates his survival. As usual Foster is solid as the old cohort Mike who may not be completely open about their new “C.O.” and recruiters. Sutherland slathers on the “fatherly charm” and “gung ho” encouragement as he binds James with a promise of quick moola with little risk. Jacobs is a welcome addition to the story, but her Brianne is later regulated to the cliched “spouse on the phone” when the story shifts into “chase and elude mode”. Though introduced close to the big finale, Eddie Marsan is a welcome supporting player as the mysterious Virgil who comes to the aid of the battered James.

The script from J.P. Davis switches gears from domestic drama to globetrotting thriller, a detour carefully executed by director Tarik Saleh, who knows when to concentrate on character and when to “amp up” the tension and plunge us, alongside James, into the “danger zone”. He makes excellent use of the overseas locales as James and Mike stalk their “target”, then slowly lets us in on the “truth”. The “hand-to-hand” throwdowns are staged and shot effectively, while the “fire fights’ are filled with moments of chaos and calamity. Unfortunately, the real villains and motivations fall “into place” too cleanly and the last act denouncements and showdowns seem too rushed, letting the story seem too familiar to any number of military action “potboilers”. The first-rate cast can’t quite elevate the “plot beats” making THE CONTRACTOR an intermittingly engaging but quickly forgettable modern-day “shoot em up”.

2 Out of 4

THE CONTRACTOR opens in select theatres and is available as a video-on-demand beginning on Friday, April 1, 2022

GOOD KILL – The Review

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GOOD KILL is one of those films that owes everything to its headlining actor. Written and directed by Andrew Niccol, the film is highly character-driven and heavy on the solemn, brooding emotional atmosphere. A well-written film, GOOD KILL wears its heart on its sleeve and makes no qualms about its political tendencies, but primarily is carried by its star’s performance.

Ethan Hawke plays Major Thomas Egan, a man resigned to spending the rest of his career in a metal box piloting unmanned drones via remote control joysticks. Egan has a wife and child, but has become distant and isolated within himself as he begins to question the ethics of his military and the morality of his actions under orders.

Niccol directs the film with enough prowess to maintain the viewer’s attention, but the down-trodden mood of the film occasionally takes its tole, leaving the audience wanting a touch of comic relief or adrenaline-refueling action from time to time, a desire never fulfilled. Recall viewing LEAVING LAS VEGAS, but tone it way down and transplant our central character from Sin City to the southwest desert and that’s where the film resides emotionally.

GOOD KILL addresses some very real, very important contemporary issues, even if they do already feel somewhat played out and old news, but the upside and unique twist is that the film focuses on how one man copes and assimilates all this heaviness internally and externally. We see how it affects his career, his family, and even his health. Egan suppresses his feelings, hif anger and remorse, leaving his wife neglected and in the dark as to what he finally does. Once he does finally let her in just a little as to what he does, its proves to be too little too late.

In keeping with a broader genre and thematic trend, Egan has also slipped into alcoholism. While dramatically appropriate and entirely believable, this aspect of Egan’s character generally plays out as cliche and stereotypical. Rather than adding to Egan’s character-development and story progression, the alcohol mainly just serves as visual texture and dramatic noise.

What conveys the emotional impact and harsh reality most clearly is Hawke’s performance. From his subdued vocal projection, his ability to pause and be silent more than is comfortable, his body language and especially his facial emotions and slight little gestures that say so much, this is where the strength of the film emerges. This means its also a film you need to watch attentively, really giving your full attention and mindfulness to Major Egan’s experience.

Supporting Hawke are Zoe Kravitz as Airman Vera Suarez and Bruce Greenwood as Lt. Colonel Jack Johns, his co-pilot and commanding officer, respectfully. Suarez spots the laser while Egan pilots the drone and ultimately pulls the trigger of the missile that will takes lives, all under the often reluctant command of Johns. The three central characters share a common philosophy and concern, but have taken very different paths in how they deal with these complex dilemmas.

Bruce Greenwood is perfectly cast as Egan’s commanding officer, serving as a sort of casual father-figure under the guidelines of the U.S. military. Johns understands Egan’s struggle, even empathizes, but also manages to keep his reactions and emotions in check, at least for a while. Kravitz, on the other hand, plays her part with reasonable confidence but ultimately I fear serves as marginally more than eye candy against a typically more male-driven culture. With that said, January Jones serves up a far more dramatically appropriate feminine role in Egan’s little slice of Hell as their relationship slows fizzles out and then ends with a bang, as does Egan’s career once all things have gone too far.

GOOD KILL, referring ironically to the military jargon used to confirm a successful missile strike, often feel artificial while the characters are at work in the glorified metal trailers from which they pilot the drones, but during these times in the over-sized sardine cans, we see tensions rising within Egan’s psyche and how its ripping him apart from the inside out when he leaves the box and spirals dangerously near oblivion in the real world. Fortunately, GOOD KILL does not end on an entirely negative note and we can feel even just a tad hopeful, courtesy of an optimistic open ending.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

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THE OUTSIDER – The Review

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Action movies typically fall within a finite number of formulas. For this reason, the success of an action movie generally relies a great deal on how well the filmmaker adapts to creating an original story within that formula. Acting is rarely a significant factor in an action film because, well, most viewers are not expecting an action film to win any major awards of a thespian nature.

To put it simply, action films rely greatly on the filmmaker accomplishing two very specific criteria. The first are riveting, exciting action sequences that are masterfully choreographed and meet the bare minimal qualifications for us to willingly suspend our disbelief. The second would be a storyline that is engaging and as unpredictable as possible. This second criteria is so very often the most difficult to achieve and this film just sort of glides along, content to earn that low-to-mid C grade, not ambitious enough to secure the solid B, but with just enough self-respect to avoid slipping into a D grade.

THE OUTSIDER is as original and engaging an action film as its title. Simple, unassuming and vague. Director Brian A. Miller serves up his fourth action offering as director, starring Craig Fairbrass as Lex Walker, an aging but formidable British military contractor currently on mission in the Middle East. When Lex finds out his daughter Samantha (Melissa Ordway) is dead, he throws away his lucrative career as a private soldier and heads to Los Angeles to retrieve his daughter’s body.

Jason Patric plays Detective Klein, the cop working the case, but when Lex arrives stateside, he discovers the body is not his daughter’s and immediately embarks on a mission to unravel the mystery and find his daughter. Lex’s first stop is Most Industries to visit Samantha’s former employer, Schuuster, played by veteran James Caan. It doesn’t take long before Lex is ruffling feathers and finds himself up against nameless security guards and henchmen, busting heads and cracking bones… all in the name of finding his daughter at any cost.

Miller manages to capture an essence of the 90s era action genre. THE OUTSIDER looks and feels like so many of the action films I remember from the late 80s and early 90s, but is missing something. Those films had a certain level of machismo, an element of masculine flamboyance to their central character that says “Hey, I may be a cocky badass, but I’m getting the job done, saving the day and/or the girl.” Fairbrass certainly portrays a confidence in technique. No one is questioning his ability to perform these simulated fight sequences, but there’s no flair. As an action hero, Fairbrass has far less visual appeal than Lorenzo Lamas and slightly more emotional investment than Steven Seagal. In comparison, Jason Patric fairs better in both camps as the detective, but with far, far less screen time.

Eventually, Shannon Elizabeth enters the story and offers up some B-level eye candy as Margo, an added asset to Lex’s mission to help Samantha take down the ruthless criminal businessman Schuuster. Coincidentally, its James Caan and his experience in portraying textured, three-dimensional villains and anti-heroes that outshines the rest of the film. While having a very limited amount of screen time, Caan manages to lift us out of an otherwise lackluster, uncommitted movie-watching experience for a much needed adrenaline boost. Hell. At one point, the now 73-year old James Caan actually gets his fists bloody and beats down one of his own goons! Tell me that doesn’t get your testosterone pumping!

When it’s all said and done, THE OUTSIDER is not a bad film, but its also not a good film. The movie coasts along, riding that mediocre money train that doesn’t turn heads but accumulates enough interest that it most likely will do well enough by investors’ standards. I’m not opposed to this philosophy and methodology of filmmaking. After all, today more than ever, filmmakers of all persuasions have the ability to make the films they want to make and even make a living out of it, but when it comes to what I prefer to see, what I go out of my way to find… THE OUTSIDE resides well outside of my standards for creativity and entertainment. If you enjoy generic, formulaic popcorn movies with minimal personality, you may just enjoy this film.

THE OUTSIDER opens in theaters on Friday, February 7th, 2014

Overall Rating:  2.5 out of 5 stars

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ACT OF VALOR – The Review


There are times I feel the need to walk on eggshells when discussing a film. ACT OF VALOR is one of those instances where I have two conflicting but equally valid opinions on the film’s perceived purpose and success thereof. For a film that has been relatively well marketed for what seems like a fairly good stretch of time, I imagine most who have seen the trailers and TV spots are well aware that the film is an action story based upon real tactics and missions, most likely a hybrid of several pieced together, as not to reveal any specifically sensitive information. Considering this, how does the film grade?

ACT OF VALOR is co-directed by Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh. The film is cast with real, active-duty Navy SEALs, which on its own merit, is a really cool concept, a concept that equally fails and succeeds, depending on which aspect of the film we are discussing. What do I mean? Let me put it this way… Anytime you cast a film with untrained, non-professional actors — or amateurs, in short – you run the risk of poor performance destroying a film, despite the quality of its many parts in whole. That is not the case with ACT OF VALOR, well… not entirely. The greater portion of the blame during certain scenes goes to a low level of dramatic writing and bad dialogue, but there is some blame to be put on throwing inexperienced actors into these types of roles. Hence, one key hurdle for the modern rise of indie film that often must be overcome.

What are these key scenes? I’ll step back for a moment and discuss what does work, which is roughly 75% of the film. This majority of the film takes place in the military mindset of a mission, prep leading into a mission, or official correspondence and interaction on a military level. On this level, the primary cast works wonderfully, not because of some ingrained acting ability, but because that’s what these SEALs do, this is their job, their lives even. It’s not acting for them, so in that sense it comes off entirely authentic. Combine this with the successfully executed use of dynamic cinematography to capture the intense and often chaotic moments of a mission, and this saves an otherwise doomed concept that could have failed miserably if it had been cast entirely with non-military trained actors. Bravo for the bold move.

However, the remaining 25% of the film deals with civilian life, family and the drama that occurs when not in uniform or on a mission. This is where ACT OF VALOR breaks down. The dialogue is bad, the delivery is forced and in many cases, overly melodramatic. In these scenes, the film takes on a decidedly disappointing made-for-TV daytime drama personality. Fortunately, this is limited enough so that it does not ruin the experience, but add to this an underlying narration from one of the SEALs that delivers a bit of poetic, but unnecessary back story and it becomes just slightly harder to swallow, that is of course until the big guns begin to fire.

Yes, ACT OF VALOR has big guns. There’s more to the film than this, specifically the welcome and positive tribute the film serves as to honor the special ops soldiers, both living and deceased. On the other hand, when it comes to making a financially successful, entertaining movie, it never hurts to have big guns and explosions, which occur on a frequent but not overblown scale. One scene in particular that had me giggling maniacally like a demented 13-year old boy was an action-packed, tension-filled scene depicting the extraction of the team from the jungle that involves… well, big guns and explosions. Yeah, mini-gun’s rule!

The villains, namely two bad guys in collaboration on one nasty scheme against the Unites States, are played rather well by actors Alex Veadoz and Dimiter Marinov. That’s right, they did not cast “actual” terrorists and bad guys in these roles, but in this case, we’re better off. These two men offer a great deal of dramatic punch where the SEALs are unable to deliver on a level we’re used to seeing in big, Hollywood films. There is also an unexpected but welcome and fitting cameo by Emilio Rivera, which will surely delight any fans of the FX series SONS OF ANARCHY.

In the end, the action and intense combat choreography, intense realism in tactics and the somewhat unconventional camera work keeps ACT OF VALOR afloat despite the relatively miniscule acting faux pa while in the civilian moments. On a note regarding the camera work, gamers will find some of the action reminiscent of so many first-person combat games, but the directors were smart and integrated this sparingly when useful, rather than focusing heavily on this for combat scenes. If you enjoy these types of movies, ACT OF VALOR is worth a look, so long as you are willing to bite your tongue and look past the non-military scenes, but more importantly, appreciate the active duty military men and women who are the focus of this film, presented in part as a tribute.

Soldier Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Civilian Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

SLIFF 2010 Review: A MARINE STORY

A MARINE STORY takes a story as old as movies itself and gives it  a fresh new spin. THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES  through IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH have explored the theme of  soldiers returning home. This time the focus is a female soldier and a military policy that has been much in the news in the last few years.

Alexandra Everett (Dreya Weber) is a career marine who return to her rural, dusty California hometown after a log hitch in the Middle East. After getting off the train with no one to welcome her back , she walks through the streets and sees all the boarded up businesses. Stopping at a convenience store she forcibly detains a young man shoplifting while his girlfriend who was distracting the clerk takes off. The local sheriff  chastises Alex for getting involved, although they are severely understaffed and can’t handle the new scourge of small towns: meth addicts. On the way to the family home, Alex buys an old convertible in need of restoration. The old homestead is empty and up for sale as her Dad has moved to Florida. The next day Alex is visited by the sheriff and the young female accomplice from the convenience store. He explains that Saffron (Paris Pickard) will face a long stretch in jail unless she is accepted into the military. Alex reluctantly agrees to get her ready to visit the recruiter. That night Alex meets an old high school boyfriend, Leo (Anthony Michael Jones) at a local bar. After a few drinks, a brawl erupts between Alex and some of Leo’s buddies who challenge her. In between training Saffron, Alex visits her old high school girlfriend Holly (Christine Mourad) and reveals that the real reason for her homecoming is that she was ousted for being a lesbian. Later that night Alex meets up with one of Holly’s girlfriends and are secretly photographed by someone from Alex’s hometown. What will happen when these photos are spread over town? How will it affect the vulnerable Saffron?

A MARINE STORY  is anchored by the strong performance of Weber in the lead. She has a strong physical presence in the big action scenes (the training, the barroom brawl, and at a paintball field). She has a great rapport with all the actors particularly Pickard as the emotionally damaged Saffron. Director Ned Farr keeps the film moving and captures the feel of a sleepy, dying little town. The movie’s not preachy but really shows the devastating impact the “don’t ask, don’t tell”  policy has had.A well done thought provoking  intimate of a modern woman in the military.

A MARINE STORY will play during the 19th Annual Stella Artois St. Louis Film Festival on Saturday, November 13th at 7:15 pm and Monday, November 15th at 5:00 pm at the Tivoli Theatre.

Review: THE CRAZIES

Serving as no big surprise for avid fans of the horror genre, Breck Eisner’s new film THE CRAZIES is actually a remake of the 1973 horror film by legendary filmmaker George Romero. No, despite the obvious, THE CRAZIES is NOT a zombie flick. Why? Simply put, nobody returns from the dead… therefore, no zombies! Romero’s original was, with all due respect, one of a short list of films not about or containing zombies.

Breck Eisner last made SAHARA (2005) was… tolerable. However, his remake of THE CRAZIES appears to be the beginning of a new trend for him, as he’s already attached to future remakes of FLASH GORDON and David Cronenberg’s THE BROOD. I have to admit, after seeing THE CRAZIES, I’m not so sure this is such a bad thing.

Eisner has somehow managed to capture the perfect combination of fun and fright, that wonderful concoction of cinematic chemistry that made the genre films of the late 70’s and early 80’s such cult classics to this day. That’s not to say this film is perfect, but it does go a long way with fans of the genre and will likely please general audiences as well.

Right from the beginning, Eisner sets up the mood of THE CRAZIES with a shot of small town American in flaming ruins, followed by an immediate rewind back to the day it all started. Johnny Cash serenades us as we meet the small Iowa farm town of Ogden Marsh. Everything appears normal, until one of the townsfolk interrupts a high school baseball game, resulting in a tragic event that causes panic in the rural community.

Things rapidly grow out of control as more and more of these bizarre occurrences happen. Sheriff David Dutton, played by Timothy Olyphant (DEADWOOD, HITMAN), doesn’t waste much time putting the pieces together and works to put a stop to the spreading chaos, but finds he is too little too late as the town becomes quarantined by aggressive military personnel.

Coincidentally, the soldiers ordered to shoot with extreme prejudice are the least of Sheriff Dutton’s worries, as he struggles to protect his pregnant wife Judy (Radha Mitchell) from a town full of infected, psychotic killing machines. Olyphant is great. While he does tend to be cast in similarly typecast roles, he always brings a certain flair and intensity to his performances that make him exhilarating to watch. His touch for intensity adds to the decently suspenseful nature of THE CRAZIES.

Equally notable as a positive influence on THE CRAZY is Deputy Russell Clank, played by Joe Anderson (THE RUINS, AMELIA). At once the slightly Barney Fife[ish] sidekick and loyal partner, he also serves as a thrilling side story that gradually transforms into an obstacle for the main character.

Filled with moments of startling jumps and scares, THE CRAZIES melds the darker comedic element of a good horror flick with solid dialog appropriate for the story without feeling absurd or over-the-top. The special effects are respectfully kept within the bounds of realism, effective and creepy but not overdone.

Granted, THE CRAZIES lacks a few key elements of opportunity, such as original, creative storytelling or much character development at all. Despite the frequent conveniences and little predictabilities in the story’s progression, the movie still manages to satisfy on the more primal levels. It’s an admirably accomplished good time and a film worth the box office price tag.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Review: ‘In The Valley of Elah’

Zac:

Paul Haggis’ new film is a crime procedural with an anti-war message laced through out and while it is very effective emotionally at times there is not real mystery to the proceedings and the movie doesn’t excel above being just good.
Based on a true story, Tommy Lee Jones stars in this now Oscar nominated performance (though he is far better in No Country) as Hank Deerfield an ex-military man on the search for his son who recently went AWOL after his return from Iraq. He enlists the help of a local police detective Emily Sanders (Charlize Theron) to help with the missing persons search and even though she shouldn’t help, as its military police’s jurisdiction, she is more than willing to get off the bottom of the barrel cases she gets because she is the only woman detective on staff.
Deerfield’s wife Joan is played spectacularly well by Susan Sarandon and they communicate through phone over the course of Hank’s investigation and seem to be dealing with some problems of their own.
The film is a mixture of so many things going on it really doesn’t let the viewer settle on what it wants to be. There is the police investigation, there is a harassment angle with Theron at the police station, there is the military cover up, the Deerfield troubles, and then the whole what is this war doing to us angle. Though, even though it’s all over the place, all of these stories are able to co-exist and work together, it’s just hard to find a firm direction sometimes.
The movie isn’t as sneaky as it thinks it is either with things playing out about as expected as the viewer will predict, but the movie tries to act like things are a lot bigger reveal and surprise then they really are and I think if they played things a bit more straight it would have worked better.
The cast all around is very good though, with Josh Brolin doing good work again this year as the police Chief over Theron’s character. Jason Patric is also good as a military lieutenant in the film and Susan Sarandon delivers one of the toughest scenes to watch in a film this year; in a good way.
Tommy Lee Jones is also solid as always, one upping with his own investigation and really showing the cops and military up on a number of occasions.
Theron is very good as well and makes you wish she could have a great performance or role in something more mainstream and less depressing so she could be a bigger star.
Speaking of depressing, the movie is very heavy with very little humor. It would have helped the film to have a bit more lightness to the proceedings, but again the mood and message is what really hurts this film. It is trying so hard to make a statement about things and trying to be some reflection on the state of the U.S. and it just doesn’t really work. The coda at the end of the film as well as so ridiculous and over the top, it can’t be taken seriously, and really puts a damper on a fairly good film other wise.
The movie is good though, it’s engaging and really gets you to care, and if you are at all interested I recommend it; even with all my nitpicking. Take away the grim seriousness and political message of this film and it might have worked a lot better, but as it stands, it feels like a good movie that unfortunately is constrained by the intentions or mark that Haggis was trying to make with his film.

[rating:3.5/5]