The War

With solid play acting by Kevin Costner and young Elijah Wood. The storyline could have been a bit more effective, and I felt the scenes from the war were so totally separate from the rest of it, they had little meaning in the film, the "madness" of the father did not appear in the film at all. Perhaps he was cured of it then, but somehow it would have felt better to concentrate on that aspect instead of the few action scenes about the war.

The end with the childrens' war was also a bit... too powerful, i.e. molotov cocktail's used by kids did seem a bit odd.

All in all, a rather solid movie that you should watch if you like a drama movie, but there are some better ones around.

This is my first ever movie review, so please bear with me :)

I first had the pleasure of viewing this gem of a movie in 1997 and I enjoyed it immensely. I now own it on DVD and consider it in my "top 5" movie list. The War is set in the summer of 1970 in Mississippi. Steven Simmons (Kevin Costner) has recently returned from Vietnam and is trying to fit back into life as he once knew it. However his time in Vietnam has left its scars (both physically and emotionally), and has placed strain on his relationship with wife Lois (Mare Winningham), and his children Lydia (Lexi Randall) and Stu (Elijah Wood), who are 12 year old twins. While Steven is trying to re-build his own life, Stu and Lydia are spending the summer building a tree house with the help of their friends, while trying to avoid the Lipnicki children, who take on the "local bullies" role.

I won't go into anymore detail concerning plot, as it may spoil parts of the movie for some. The length of The War, at just on 2 hours, is sufficient for the plot and all its happenings to unfold, but any longer may have proved to be a little drawn out.

The performances put in by all the main actors and actresses (as well as many of the minor parts) are quite good. Elijah Wood's portrayal of the angry but likeable Stu is very well done. With his angry outbursts, expressive face, and "naturalness" in front of the camera, Wood creates a very believable Stu. This is one of his best performances, except maybe for his portrayal of Mikey in The Ice Storm

Kevin Costner, in what must be one of his best (yet lesser known) roles, is very understated but brilliantly cast as Steve. The uncertainty that he expresses within own life, but also the wisdom that he imparts to his children in various parts throughout the movie, are very touching indeed. Many people are critical in their assessment of Costner's acting, but I beg to differ. This is because, a few months back, I rented (and subsequently bought) 3000 Miles to Graceland, in which Costner plays a mad, mean and sinister robber. His performance in this particular movie could not have been further from his role as Steven in The War, but again he plays the part with ease. After watching these two movies, his acting talent and the range of characters that he can effectively bring to life is obvious.

Mare Winningham is perfectly cast as Lois, the hard-working, determined and supportive wife and mother. She breezes through this role, one which is similar in nature to her part in Everything That Rises.

Lexi Randall, as Lydia, also does well, although is almost overshadowed by the performance of by her best friend Elvadine, played by the brilliant Latoya Chisholm. Elvadine's scene in the classroom (you will know what scene i mean when you see it) is one of the best parts of the movie.

This movie does has some violent scenes where children are seen punching and kicking each other, so it would probably be best seen by those 12 years and up. Director Jon Avnet creates a fantastic visual experience, very similar in feel to that of his Fried Green Tomatoes. I really love the tree in which the children built their treehouse - so old yet so stable and strong..... This is a movie that really lets you escape from reality, if only for two hours.

I have viewed this movie many times, and because of this have picked up a few little flaws. Continuity is a little bit of a problem in some scenes. For example, in one scene, Stu and his friends are soaking wet from driving what looks like a home-mate billy cart into a pond. Straight after this occurs the Lipnickis appear, and as they push Stu and co. away from the billy cart, we see that Stu and co. are practically dry. But this is being picky, I must admit. The accents are a bit off in some parts too - maybe the actors were trying a little too hard.

The sound of this movie i must comment on. If you run a surround sound system with Dolby Digital, the movie will give it a work-out in parts. Two scenes in particular:

1. where Stu goes to wake up his Dad. As Stu shoves his dad to rouse him, the thump of helicopter blades are heard in the background and become progressively louder and louder. The sounds stops abruptly when Steve, who is startled by Stu and presumably woken from a nightmare, grabs Stu and flings him onto the ground (as he might have done in Vietnam when defending himself against an enemy soldier). This is a surprisingly intense scene.

2. At the marble quarry - I can't give anymore information than this without spoiling things.

So, if you have a surround sound setup, your subwoofer will definitely get a workout in some parts of the movie. The dialogue is presented quite clearly, and the constant buzz of cicadas and crickets really give a sense of a typically hot and humid summer in the South.

All in all I would highly recommend this movie. I have read reviews where people have said that this movie is not very interesting and is maybe a bit too "preachy". But I watched this movie once with a classroom full of my 17 year old mates and they were glued to the screen for the duration of the movie. The War definitely has a strong message to give about war - those wars we battle inside ourselves and also the wars that are fought by millions. This is also a sad movie, but has a very uplifting conclusion. The War may take some finding in your local video store, but it is highly recommended. 8/10.

Who would want to see a movie called "The War?" Not, me, and that's why I only saw this 1994 movie tonight, on TV. And I was pleasantly amazed at how good it is. Costner turns out to have a very strong "supporting" role because the movie really is about Elijah Woods' character and the other kids who find out about the real war we human beings seem to fight daily. Excellent mix of humor, action, drama, sadness, and triumph. The "dare" scene inside the water tank was one of the more gripping I've seen in any film. I rate it "8" but almost feel it deserves a "9".

Feb 2006 update. I saw it again, on DVD, and most of the movie was fresh again. After Costner's character was faced with killing people in the Vietnam war, he fully understood that love was the only thing fighting for. This is what he was able to pass down to his son and daughter. As they say, in any 'war', even the ones we may fight with our neighbors, we always lose track of the real reason we are fighting and destroy the things we value.

Though on the surface it might be seen as yet another movie about poverty in Mississippi (which is, by the way, the poorest State in the US) or about the impact of the Vietnam War on the family of veterans, "The War" exceeds expectations on several fronts: presentation, complexity, candidness, and good acting. The story is narrated from the point of view of 12-year old Lidia, played excellently by Lexi Randall, with the acceptance kids usually have at that age ("…we are dirt poor, like everyone else in Juliette, Mississippi" - she tells us right of the start). Though she is white, she befriends two black girls the same age, sharing social condition and taste for music, with some hiccup due to her use of language blacks don't like others to use on them. She is "tough" as kids in that environment usually are, yet "girlish" in step with her age. She is the one sensitive enough to realize how others feel and has the guts to naturally stand for them, though she struggles to understand her father. Her brother Stu, about the same age, played impeccably by Elijah Wood, is eager, as most boys at that age are, to get close to his father, and in the period they manage to do it he puts is heart in the basket, at great risk. The father, also played impeccably by Kevin Costner, is troubled by war nightmares and the lack of a stable job, but has the courage to eliminate violence from daily living, aiming to show it to his kids by example, against the pressure for violence from the environment they live in, and to be as good a father as he can in the given circumstances. The kids are at the front of events throughout the film, and the story brilliantly shows us how a rivalry with a group of poorer and tougher kids, centered on the use of a tree house made by the former with materials stolen from the latter, gradually escalates into a dangerous "juvenile war", much the way political conflicts often escalate into wars among nations. "No matter how much people think they understand war, war doesn't understand people", the girl concludes; thus we all lose. The War goes on at several levels: Kids fighting in the forefront, Vietnam in the background, and the inner struggles of the main characters, being this latter what truly gives depth to the story. Drama is sparkled with hope, humor and coziness, the way it is in life, with very few cheesy scenes. This movie is more that entertainment: it triggers our critical thinking, our capacity for understanding, and leaves a haunting feeling long after is done. Recommendable as a family film for discussion, meaning kids 12 or older with some level of maturity. Not for younger kids.

I never heard of this movie before today and I just saw it on TV. What a wonderful movie! I would recommend it to anyone. It is family friendly as well. I was very moved by the movie. As far as kids not talking that way, well, lets face it, people in general don't talk the way people do in movies. At least they weren't constantly swearing. Instead, they were saying intelligent and thoughtful things. I was really impressed by this movie as it emphasizes values in our society. There are many movies that do just the opposite and that alone is very revealing about our society. We seem to value sex, drugs and rock and roll above values and that is sad. The acting was wonderful also. Enjoy everyone!