enigma_x66

I wouldn't rate this with Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket, Saving Private Ryan, or some other Combat/War based films I feel are classics, but it's a solid movie.

The casting was excellent, I thought Eric Bana did a convincing job in his role. He basically gets across the point that he's a man torn between devotion to his country, his family, and his sanity. I enjoy films that focus the strain put on the mind of the warrior (or in this case assassin) much more than films that just glorify the actions of the "hero". The mental affects that a mission of this type, one that's so up close and personal to those targeted, they clearly should be a focal point of his character and I felt the film did a nice job of showing that stress.

The effects were nicely done and I felt that Spielberg did a good job of making sure the props and environment appeared early 70's ish. I also didn't feel a sense of political propaganda either; the Palestinians were doing what they felt was right and the Israelis were responding in a way that they felt was right. I felt that in this case a story was told rather than a justification for one side or the other.

It was definitely a solid film, in this case I only rented it but had I saw it at the theater, I would have left satisfied.

I don't remember much about this movie, other than it seemed like a very cheap production and the acting was awful. The film quality seemed B rate. It's one of the few movies that I can ever remember falling asleep during or turning off before it was over. Just bad, bad, bad. If you can catch this on regular television than maybe, but otherwise don't waste your money like I did. Luckily I only rented this, if I had gone to the theater and wasted $8-$10 I probably would have puked.

Rutger Hauer being the lead actor in a movie in 2006 should have been a dead giveaway. I knew better. War movies tend to be my favorites but this was just pathetic. :(