This latest entry in the "geezer teaser" cinematic universe is surprisingly competent-and still totally skippable. Foxx and De Niro actually show up more than just for the poster (a rarity!), but most of the heavy lifting is done by Scott Eastwood, who's... fine. He doesn't embarrass himself, which already makes him an MVP in this genre even if he lacks gravitas.
Instead of going full action schlock, Tin Soldier tries to get deep and psychological, which is bold for a movie with such poor editing. Because the emphasis is on the story and on the human angle rather than on schlocky action, my standards for the writing and acting were lifted. Unfortunately, it's here that the film really fails to deliver. The body count is low, the trauma is high, and Jamie Foxx plays a cult leader so unconvincing you'd wonder how he even got people to follow him on TikTok, let alone into armed rebellion. Foxx is loud and aggressive, but he's not seductive or persuasive the way he would need to be as a cult leader.
There are some cool visuals-Eastwood's inner torment gets the psychedelic treatment-but the writing stumbles hard. The movie wants to be about healing and identity, but forgot to make any of that feel earned. Foxx yells vague anti-government stuff, Eastwood broods, and at no point do you believe these two were ever in the same cult.
The film could have worked if we saw Eastwood grappling with his allegiance to the cult, and if a proper parallel had been made between letting go of the rage and anger resulting from his trauma and symbolically represented by Foxx and the cult. Instead, Eastwood is in opposition to the cult from the film's start, and we never really see him being swayed by anything Foxx says or conflicted about what to do. The ending feels completely unearned.
Shoutout to the final showdown, where the movie ditches reality altogether and swan-dives into Mad Max cosplay. Foxx rallies his cloak-wearing cult at a dam that looks like a Bond villain's Airbnb, and suddenly we're in Thunderdome territory! Eastwood and Foxx brawl in a literal arena, surrounded by fireballs and chanting dudes like it's post-apocalyptic Fight Club. Oh, and Eastwood planted a bomb with a big ol' timer. I probably would have enjoyed the whole film more if it had maintained this level of insanity throughout. Sigh!
In the end, it's too serious to be fun, and too sloppy to be serious. If you're looking for meaningful drama or mindless action, you'll come away disappointed.
