Badland

Finally managed to get a DVD of Badland and I'm so glad. It's a brave rendering of how war can torment those who have experienced it and how life is never the same once a veteran is back in 'normal life'. How this film has been passed over by 'mainstream' movie watchers is beyond me because it's incredible.

The cast is excellent, Jamie Draven is outstanding as Jerry and deserves no end of credit for taking on and shining in such a hard hitting and powerful main role. You feel for Jerry the whole way through, despite every decision he makes, everything he does and doesn't do. It's a long film but the character is so strongly played you cannot stop watching and physically need to know how it turns out. Joe Morton and Grace Fulton also deserve accolades in their roles.

The writing is great, the story is consistently strong and this film deserves to be seen. In addition, the scenery is beautiful.

The speech Jerry bellows at Max under the tree is harsh but seems to be pretty close to the mark...what better excuse is there? It happens over and over. I imagine that this is part of the reason a lot of people seem to have missed out on this amazing film - do critics feel this is too honest for the mainstream? Sad if so because there's a lot of unworthy ego-rubbing films that are seen by millions. Will we ever learn?

This movie stays with you, long after the end credits have rolled. It's the performance, the semi-documentary feel, the inspired by true events thing (it does feel real), the political and (anti-) war message it delivers and many other things (among them a very stunning lead performance).

It definitely isn't afraid to pull out all the stops and go for it. For this radical and brave choice(s) it makes, it will get either your admiration or your disbelieve. And with the latter also a bad review. While you can criticize the movie for quite a few things (patriotic it ain't for once), you can't deny it's impact! While the structure might seem a little bit strange (even chaotic if you want to call it that) and it seems not to have a particular goal, this might indeed be the message the movie has for the viewer ...

Badland is a must for everyone. The film is harrowing and emotionally draining. It certainly packs a punch. Jamie Draven acts his part superbly as an anguished and desperate man- and his American accent is even passable! There is very much an atmosphere of claustrophobia and desolation running through the story that it is quite spine chilling in its effect.I believe this will have quite an impact on audiences on release. The only criticism might be that it is too long- there were scenes that could have been shortened. But the overall effect was spellbinding. Congratulations to Badland Films for a believable story brought to us with all the inherent pain and guilt that the main character portrays. His pain is deafening. Congratulations to Jamie Draven too- an ideal choice.

A fantastic, moving, dramatic film about the casualties--at home--of the Iraq War..The devastating impact of one returning veteran's spin out of control demonstrates with hurricane force the effects of the psychologically-wounding war on his entire family and all those he comes in contact with.

The majestic musical score heightens the tension, but provides a level of calmness and beauty to an otherwise gut wrenching and frantic story line.

Grace Fulton as Celina, the veteran's young daughter is wise beyond her years. She gives tender and lighthearted relief to her bleak circumstances . Exceptional performance.

Vietnam had Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now", Michael Cimeno's "Deerhunter" and Hal Ashby's "Coming Home".

Writer/Director Francesco Lucente has given dramatic voice and a (rare) classic take on our current "war of choice" You will think about the context of this film and will want to take another look. We certainly will.

Dudley & Josephine Foot

This is a movie that will not let you off the hook easily. It requires time and thought to process it all. It leaves you angry, sad, shaken. It above all things leaves you asking "Why?". And you will not feel satisfied.

Some reviews exactly portray this reaction, in all possible facets, from bad to good.

This movie feels so scarily real. It shows the human ability of phasing out reality, even the worst kind. It shows love that feels so honest as if you were part of this movie.

I really like that this movie had a European feeling to it:

No fast cuts, no fast paced story telling.

This movie gives you time to watch the unbelievable story unwrap, to the bitter end. It makes you think a lot, without feeling kitschy. This is no light popcorn movie. There are not many dialogs, as the eyes and the faces of the main actors can convey more than words could ever do.

I recommend this movie to all people with an open mind.

I do not recommend it for people that are overly patriotic, or in some way are too close to this topic. You will be angry, and by all means will not like this movie.