Sand Castle

After seeing some other disappointing attempts at portraying the Afghanistan and Iraq war, Sand Castle was a very pleasant surprise.

The characters were believable and the story convincing, telling the difficulties faced by American soldiers and Iraqi civilians alike. It didn't need over-exaggerated patriotism nor jingoism, nor did it rely upon over the top action scenes nor special effects.

I was drawn in by the characters and the story, and although it left me wanting more this was in a good way - what it said it said well. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and have no hesitation in recommending it.

After a small squad of soldiers is tasked with helping distribute water to an embattled town, a devastating series of consequences will change them forever. Shown from the perspective of a disillusioned private, Sand Castle is as much allegory as it is a retelling of actual events. While the main character does traverse an arc, the conclusion of this film may leave some viewers wanting something more satisfying.

Sand Castle is not an easy film to review in terms of gauging it against other high adrenaline, fast paced, action filled war movies.

That is not to say the film was not worth watching. It certainly is. Avoiding any spoilers here, the story moves at a rather slow pace for a war film but has a definite message to deliver and does so with finesse and realism. The acting is very strong from each of the characters and the Direction does not overdo the story by muddling it with unnecessary and gratuitous violence. Of course there is a degree of "war time" conflicts and shows its affects on the soldiers who live with it during their tour.

To add to the credibility of the film, the writer (an actual veteran of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq) simply conveys his experience while serving there. I liked this approach to the Genra as it tells a story of a simple objective which becomes difficult due to the nature of war itself and the unfortunate casualties that suffer because of it. It also shows the human cost to both sides, the U.S. Troops as well as the people caught up in the terrible circumstances of war. I felt it illustrates that perspective quite well.

If you looking for a "Platoon" or "Black Hawk Down" type film, this is not for you. But, if you are interested in a film that successfully portrays the life's of all people affected by war, even if the story line does not center on the most brutal and violent ways, this is a film worth watching.

This film tells the story of a young soldier in Kuwait, who is reluctantly being sent to Iraq to help fix the water supply system in a village. However, their help is not welcomed by the village, and they are mey with multiple hostile attacks.

"Sand Castle" has a simple but effective plot, where the soldiers have to do everything in their power to fix the water supply that got broken in the war. A seemingly simple task becomes very complicated when the locals are actively resisting and even sabotaging the operation. It can be plainly seen that, what seems to be a good will mission from one side is interpreted as an unwelcomed act by the other side. I think this unwelcomed good will mission can be extrapolated to the whole war, and this particular mission is a microcosm of the whole Iraq war. It leaves soldiers wounded physically and psychologically, especially when soldiers think they are doing good.

A decent and straightforward War movie. It's not very combat centered, but rather focuses on the soldier's internal conflicts. I've seen plenty of War films like this before and unfortunately this one doesn't stand out as that unique compared to many others. It feels like an extension of something you'd see on "Generation Kill". It's not necessarily a bad thing, because if that is your thing then you are gonna like this movie.

I will give it this though; I like the story-line of the soldier's giving water to the people in the village. That's actually one of the main missions the characters are given. I appreciate that it explores a simple story like that. Giving water to the people in need is ultimately more important than winning a war. Nicholas Hoult's character seems to find a purpose of being part of the army by doing this act of kindness because he feels that he finally does some good. So, that aspect was well portrayed in this movie.

Henry Cavill is not in the movie that much, but whenever he is on screen he plays his supporting character well. I think they should have utilized him much more, since he really was doing such a good job playing a kind of eccentric captain. A different role compared to what he has played before. The editing in some scenes distracted me. They started zooming in the image on the same shot a few times and I didn't like that. It's better to just let the scene play out in one shot. Don't start jump-cutting and zooming it in all the sudden. You have different angles for that.

The music is great. Some parts gave me "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Apocalypse Now" vibes and the end credits song is very relaxing. So, the movie leaves you with a nice feeling because of the music. It's not bad as I said, just a tad underwhelming. You can watch it and enjoy just fine.