G.I. Jesus
by Carl Colpaert
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Joe Arquette, Mark Cameron Wystrach, Maurizio Farhad, Patricia Mota, Telana LynumDirector: Carl Colpaert
Brand: WESTLAKE ENTERTAINMENT INC
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 100 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-03-13
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Westlake Entertainment
Movie Reviews of G.I. Jesus
Movie Review: POLLUSTAFFLE, CINEVEGAS JURY PRIZE WINNER
Summary: 5 Stars
This deeply touching film explores the effects of what soldier Jesus Feliciano saw and did in Iraq. A Mexican national, Jesus joined the army to get his United States citizenship. He felt becoming an American would better himself and his family. This was his chance. The U.S. military told him this was the right thing, so he went and he fought.
Jesus is now returning to his home in California. He is a wounded man. He isn't physically hurt, but he is mentally and emotionally. He is confused, depressed and fearful. He feels guilt and is plagued with anxiety. He has to work through his emotions and finds himself wondering if taking the lives of others is worth becoming a legal American.
Shot on HD with actual war footage cut into the movie, "G.I. Jesus" offers a surreal look at the psyche of soldiers caught in the system trying to better themselves and their families, but shameful of what they've seen, done and have become in the process. Newcomer Joe Arquette plays the lead Jesus and is absolutely amazing. In fact, he and the core cast are brilliant together with more chemistry than the actors of most films. As Jesus gets back to his family, he can not put the war behind him. He sees visions. He has flashbacks. He has nightmares.
Worst of all, he doesn't trust anyone, including his wife Claudia whom he so dearly loves. He refers to her as his Dominican Princess and has a huge image of her on the hood of his car. Played by Patrícia Mota, who reminded me of Asia Argento, Claudia is sexy, but strong. They have an adorable daughter Marina, played here by Tempe, Arizona's Telana Lynum. Mota, Arquette and Lynum are so believable in their roles you could swear at times you are watching a hidden camera of a real family that cared for each other. Claudia and Jesus share a number of sweet moments as a couple and as a family with Marina. But Jesus and Claudia also send each other into fits of rage when they discuss the possibility of Jesus having to go back to fight. He doesn't want to, but he may not have a choice. His hope is he can become a recruiter, but getting people to sign up to do the same thing he has doesn't sit well with him either.
Rounding out the cast was Maurizio Farhad, who essentially plays a hallucination of Jesus. Farhad, who said he sees the film as a soldier's battle with himself, is good as Mohammed. He represents the evil Jesus committed in Iraq. He can be seen as an actual person Jesus killed there or more of a composite of the many lives taken by American soldiers. Mohammed had a family much like Jesus with a small daughter, who was also killed. Since he doesn't know Jesus' name he calls him Joe as in G.I. Joe, which I initially did not catch and had to have it explained. I thought the actor Farhad was accidentally calling Jesus by his real name. Evidentially there was a scene explaining this, but it did not make the final cut. I also didn't catch the symbolic Biblical reference of Jesus vs. Mohammed either, but now see the beauty of it as well.
"G.I. Jesus" was written and directed by Colpaert, who was born in Belgium. I always find it odd when people from other countries understand issues surrounding the United States better than those of us that were born and raised here.
Summary of G.I. Jesus
A Mexican national Jes s Feliciano returning to California from Iraq where he had soldiered in exchange for grant of US citizenship suffers trauma related to his battle experience and imagines his family life threatened.System Requirements:Running Time: 89 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/MILITARY & WAR Rating: NR UPC: 798622341327 Manufacturer No: WLV3413Similar DVD Movies
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