Buffalo Soldiers

Buffalo Soldiers

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Movie Reviews of Buffalo Soldiers

Movie Review: Smart, Hilarious Black Comedy.
Summary: 5 Stars

"Buffalo Soldiers" is a hilarious black comedy based on the book of the same name by Robert O'Conner and directed by Gregor Jordan. The film has been widely admonished for presenting an unflattering picture of U.S. military personnel. "Buffalo Soldiers" doesn't comment much on officers, except to say that some are blind to what goes on under their noses. The film is about enlisted men stationed to West Germany during the last years of the Cold War "with nothing to kill except time." These soldiers are overwhelmingly idiots, sociopaths and junkies. But they sure are funny. I spent the summer of 1983 near a U.S. Army base in West Germany, and I can attest to the strangeness of base life and the feeling that the enlisted men are purposeless. I also had an acquaintance who was stationed to West Germany in the early 1990s. He was a lot like the soldiers in the movie. In fact, of five people I have known who enlisted in the Army or Navy, four resemble characters in this film. So however unflattering "Buffalo Soldiers" may be, I am inclined to believe that it is a realistic portrait of base life at a specific time and place. The cast of the film is just wonderful. Joaquin Phoenix and Scott Glenn are perfect in every way. The supporting cast delivers equally impressive and thoroughly enjoyable performances. It's nice to see Ed Harris in a comic role. His talent is not wasted here as Elwood's earnest but naive commanding officer. "Buffalo Soldiers" is one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time. It has smart darkly comic writing, good construction, and gutsy performances that never fail to entertain. It's one of the most enjoyable films in recent memory. But it's a very dark comedy that dabbles in tragedy as well. And it's unflattering to at least some U.S. military personnel. If that doesn't bother you, don't miss this film! I give "Buffalo Soldiers" my highest recommendation.

The DVD: Bonus features include a short "making of" documentary, an "Anatomy of a Scene" featurette that concentrates on the scenes surrounding Elwood's acquisition of the weapons, and an audio commentary by director Gregor Jordan. The bonus features aren't terribly exciting, but I think the audio commentary is more worth your time than the other stuff. Dubbing is available in French. Subtitles available in English only.

Summary of Buffalo Soldiers