The Wall

I liked this film partly because it's different. Most military films have guns, bombs and explosions but this focused on the tension. Pretty simple idea and very cheap to make but that's a good thing. Well worth a watch

What starts out as an insular, straight-forward war thriller soon becomes a somewhat sillier, 'Phonebooth (2002)'-esque affair that's really only carried by our two leads' willingness to get down and dirty in the desert sand as they scramble for cover from the chatty sniper pinning them down. The pace in 'The Wall (2017)' is usually slow but there are several genuinely suspenseful and otherwise more energetic moments peppered throughout. The general design of the piece is also relatively realistic - including some stellar sound design that has the crack of each distant shot echo out only after the splat of its impact. This means that there are tangible stakes in almost every scene, even when there isn't any real entertainment. 6/10

A strange mixture of positive reviews from the critics and low ratings from the audience. It's true that this movie does have its plusses and minuses. It's not an impressive war movie and could have benefited more from a POV perspective. There is some character revelation as it goes on which gradually makes a slow pace movie more palatable. I had to take lots of little breaks to get through it myself but I feel the twist ending makes it worthwhile.

The movie is a snap of what happened, happens and would happen at war with lives, hopes, and disguise at stake. There is no wonder that the American soldier is depicted as one with a heart, with hope for life, and with a brain. Yet, if you look at the movie from an alien point of view you would understand that the soldier is a foreign land whom he has no idea why he is there, who he is fighting for, or even whether this war he's fighting and involved will change his world or the worlds of other. In other words, if your house is made of glass, don't throw at people stones. The producer tries to depict the lost souls who unwillingly fought for their countries or rather for their superiors and the so-called enemies who are on a mission to get back at them being pushed by what happened to them or to their countries. What separates truth, untruth, life and death is a mere wall that can collapse at any time.

The Wall is directed by Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Edge of Tomorrow), stars Aaron Taylor Johnson and John Cena and it tells a story about two American soldiers attacked by a sniper in Iraq and one of them gets behind this wall and tries to think of how to escape.

It's a decent premise and this could have been very suspenseful. But, while there are a few intense moments, the grip doesn't last. It should have been intense all the way through. It's not boring, but you'll be only half-interested. At least I was. It also sets up some thought-provoking themes but never really builds on that. It's just put there and they do nothing about it.

Still, what sells the anxiety in some scenes is Aaron Taylor Johnson's incredible performance. John Cena is okay, but Johnson is the star here. The whole thing feels pretty realistic actually and you won't be bored while watching this. But it's also not something you'll remember.