Stop-Loss
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Movie Reviews of Stop-Loss
Movie Review: Excellent Movie!
Summary: 4 Stars
A great movie to see if you want a fun understanding of what this terrible war is doing to the troupes. Gut-wrenching and heart-felt.Movie Review: An Arm, A Leg & An Eye
Summary: 3 Stars
Director Kimberley Peirce keeps the pace going well in this film about US soldier fighting in Iraq who find that they are being returned to active duty via the stop-loss clause. Ryan Philippe has been in a number of films that I like such as Crash (Widescreen Edition), Flags of Our Fathers (Widescreen Edition), Chaos & Breach (Widescreen Edition). As Sgt. Brandon King, he is the squad leader who looks forward to concluding his military service after experiencing the death of his fellow soldiers.
The homecoming sequences speak of soldiers who have suffered Post Traumatic Stress and the confusion of their families who do not quite know how to deal with wounded spirits, minds and bodies. Channing Tatum from She's the Man (Widescreen Edition) & Supercross does an excellent job as the confused soldier. The scene where he digs a trench in his front yard and totes a gun around is scary. Australian actress Abbie Cornish who was in Elizabeth - The Golden Age (Widescreen Edition) does a credible job with the American accent as the girl who befriends Brandon and dumps Steve when he reenlists. Joseph Gordon-Levitt who is familiar from TV's "Third Rock from the Sun" plays Tommy Burges who gets so crazy that he gets booted out of the service even though he wants to stay in. Timothy Olyphant who was great as the lead in Hitman (Unrated Edition) plays Lt. Col. Boot Miller and talks the company line to his soldiers. His decision to throw Brandon King into the brig ignites King's escape and sets up the last two-thirds of the film. Meryl Streep's daughter Mamie Gummer plays Tommy's wife and does well graveside. Gummer did an excellent job in Evening and shines in this small role. Linda Emond who was in Across the Universe (Two-Disc Special Edition) & North Country (Widescreen Edition) is very sympathetic and loyal to her son Brandon as his mother Ida King. Veteran actor Ciaran Hinds plays Brandon's father Roy. Victor Rasuk has an outstanding cameo as the injured Rico Rodriguez who loses an arm, a leg and his vision.
Yes, there are politics about the war that the film addresses. The film reflects that war is an awful experience. Our fighting men and women are put into hellish circumstances that no father nor mother would wish on their children, but which world events prove necessary. In a democracy such as ours, the people can change course or stay the course on Election Day. I don't think you can fault the President for doing what he feels is appropriate or the soldiers who fight the war. The ultimate responsibility is with the American people. Ultimately this conflict is their choice IMHO. However, "Stop-Loss" is not politics. It deals in an artful manner with the consequences of war. It does it honestly, even-handedly & with some excellent acting talent. The DVD extra deleted scenes were interesting to watch. The ending did not seem to fit the rest of the film, however. It was as if the screenwirter or producer insisted that the film shift gears rather than letting the film conclude in a natural organic way. Enjoy!
Movie Review: 'No Exit' Strategy
Summary: 3 Stars
For all its strong sentiment favoring our troops in Iraq, `Stop-Loss' is primarily a protest movie. Much like `In the Valley of Elah,' before it, the film grapples with post traumatic stress disorder (or PTSD). The soldiers are honored as heroes, and rightly so, but the main thrust of the movie is challenging President Bush's order to extend service during their tour in Iraq. Perhaps practical, the ramifications of extending their tour of duty are given a dramatic treatment in the film.
At first we get some intense battle scenes as enemy figures creep up on our soldiers and torpedo bomb their tank in an urban alley way. Intense but in control, SSgt. Brandon Leonard King (Ryan Phillipe) leads his beleaguered troop skillfully through the chaos. During the ensuing battle, Rico Rodriguez (Victor Rasuk) is seriously injured after "one of Hodgi's new bombs" explodes a nearby car.
Bringing it all back home to Brazos, TX, Brandon and his friends, Tommy Burgess (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), and Sgt. Steve Shriver (Channing Tatum) get a proper welcome. A cheering crowd gives them hearty hurrahs until Sgt. King obliges their request to make a speech. His somber reminder of Rico's sacrifice silences them as they're reminded of the sobering risk they took for the love of their country.
Soon we see the fallout in their lives. Heavy drinking, fights, and flashbacks all come back to haunt all three of them with an emphasis that's different for each. Steve doesn't remember beating his girlfriend, Michelle, or digging a fox hole after drinking too much. Tommy is almost surely an alcoholic who gets an ultimatum from the brass. However, it's Sgt. King's memories we see the most as battle scenes come to haunt him from the past.
As Brandon gets ready to check in one last time, Lt. Col. "Boot" Miller (Timothy Olyphant) informs him that his tour of duty has been extended. Traditionally gung ho, Brandon loses his temper and disobeys orders. About to be sent to "the cooler," he breaks through two guards, steals a jeep, and escapes the military compound. From there he goes AWOL as does the movie to a certain extent.
Unlike 'In the Valley of Elah,' 'Stop Loss' is not based on a journalistic account. Instead it's a drama highlighting a military policy. The acting, tension, and story aren't as compelling as 'Elah,' even though there are fine performances all around. After a few too many brawls, the merits of `Elah' come flooding back to memory. Ryan Phillipe, who has a mixed reputation as an actor, has been on a roll since his truly good performance in 'Breach'. His acting range here can only bolster his career. Traditionally one of the best young actors, Joseph Gordon-Levitt's troubled Tommy is believable throughout, and Channing Tatum is nearly as genuine as the tough, but tense Shriver.
More gripping than `Rendition' (except in the torture scenes), 'Stop-Loss' is just as provocative in its approach. Obviously meant to get us thinking about the unnerving prospect of extended service, the movie tries to achieve a balance. Whether we believe the war was ill-conceived from the beginning; the surge was necessary and effective; or any combination of the two and their opposites, the movie at least holds two truths most will agree with: 1.) Our soldiers make great sacrifices for our country. 2.) They have an enormous burden that comes with extended service. Either way this is mainly a solid drama that at least gets us thinking about what it really means to be a soldier in one of those rare times when young men haven't been drafted in the first place.
A J.P.'s Pick 3*'s=Good
Movie Review: 3 1/2 Stars: Stars and Stripes
Summary: 3 Stars
Director Kimberly Peirce's last film was the revolutionary, emotionally-charged and truthful "Boy's Don't Cry" with the galvanizing performance of Hilary Swank. That was over 8 years ago and now she has returned with the Iraq War drama, `Stop-Loss" starring a coterie of edgy, hot young actors.
Oddly enough, I think that almost all of the Iraq War based dramas like the recent "Rendition" have been failures at the box office which leads me to wonder, why?
Perhaps, since it is literally happening now, it is too current: the wounds are opening daily with no healing in sight. At the very least, We as Americans are conflicted about our involvement in Iraq.
Peirce has chosen to use the Iraq War as a background onto which she bases her drama with Universal themes of: Where do I fit in? Where do I belong? Do I belong?
Working here with co-writer Mark Richard, Peirce has found a subject in the way the war in Iraq is tearing apart many of its soldiers, in combat and when they return home. This is a wrenching story of men at arms who cannot find peace outside the military circle, who return to civilian life on the horrific edge of violence and despair. This point of view is of course not new, going back at least as far as William Wyler's "The Best Year's of Our Lives" and Michael Cimino's "The Deer Hunter." War is Hell: this we all know and can empathize with but the aftermath, the coming home, the re-adjusting to Life after War is worse.
Several actors shine here: primarily the Brandon King of Ryan Phillipe (whose stop-loss forced re-enlistment forms the backbone of this film) and the Michele of Abbie Cornish who basically steals the film from under all her hot shot male cast members with her persuasive, thoughtful and totally believable performance.
There are several scenes in "Stop Loss" which approach and sometimes go over the edge into hokiness but overall, this film has a real emotional life: these are characters who emote from a real place, a place that it is obvious that Peirce believes in, invests in and ultimately it is the saving grace of this flawed, yet sock-in-the-gut experience film.
Movie Review: Not totally accurate, but heartbreaking
Summary: 3 Stars
How you feel about this movie will depend on how you feel about the invasion and occupation of Iraq in the first place. I've been reading 1-star reviews by pro-military people, including active duty soldiers saying, "These guys are cowards. If you volunteer, you're giving your life to the military, so do your duty." And 4-star reviews by people who are against the war, saying StopLoss captures the heartbreak and trauma this war has caused.
I know this movie isn't particularly accurate, but I still think it's strong. From the point of view of most of the world, this is a movie about the bad guys. These soldiers are people who, because of cultural and economic pressure, joined the military thinking they were protecting their country. But the military (and the whole government) were controlled by war criminals.
They were sent into a battle that had nothing to do with 9/11. It was the product of leaders who wanted to conquer the world. They were betrayed into becoming the Imperial Storm Troopers from Star Wars. And when they try to get out, they are stop-lossed and sent back.
I know a lot of soldiers will strongly disagree (although I know some who agree just as strongly.) I know most soldiers try to do the right thing. But you can't do right when you're put into a situation where there is no right, in a country where you were never wanted. I think Stop Loss captures their helplessness very well.
I only wish the movie makers had mentioned the possibility of refusing orders and doing your time, instead of running away or going back. Of soldiers who have refused to return, almost nobody has had to do more than a year. IMO, that's better than facing death or PTSD, or becoming a war criminal.
But see the film and decide for yourself. Learn more at the CouragetoResist web site.