WOW! What a ride! Okay. First of all, this is not a perfect film, but few are. Still, it is an EXCELLENT film. It gets slow in the middle. A good 20 minutes could have been trimmed from the middle of the film. I think this is something Spike Lee seriously needs to work on as a filmmaker.
With that said, outside of that "dead zone" is true intensity. Its great to see a film that finally acknowledges the Black troops from WWII. The last time I recall a major theatrical film even admitting they existed was when I saw "A Soldier's Story" back in the 1980's. But this film goes far beyond a preachy "Black" movie that a lot of people seem to fear. It is a very balanced study of human nature.
Spike Lee does a great job of flawed people - Black, Italian, and German - wrestle with their consciences. But we also see people of all three groups rise to harrowing challenges, and perform heroically.
The slight lull in the middle is more than made up for by the action-packed latter third of the film, and rich character studies throughout.
This film reminds us of how brutal fascism can be, and at the same time pays tribute to those (of various ethnicities) who stood up to it, and sacrificed themselves in the process.
It is unfortunate that so many saw fit to give this film such low ratings. A balanced portrayal of all people doesn't always leave us feeling comfortable. But maybe we can look in the mirror for few moments, and learn from the positives and negatives alike.
To Spike Lee: Well done!
With that said, outside of that "dead zone" is true intensity. Its great to see a film that finally acknowledges the Black troops from WWII. The last time I recall a major theatrical film even admitting they existed was when I saw "A Soldier's Story" back in the 1980's. But this film goes far beyond a preachy "Black" movie that a lot of people seem to fear. It is a very balanced study of human nature.
Spike Lee does a great job of flawed people - Black, Italian, and German - wrestle with their consciences. But we also see people of all three groups rise to harrowing challenges, and perform heroically.
The slight lull in the middle is more than made up for by the action-packed latter third of the film, and rich character studies throughout.
This film reminds us of how brutal fascism can be, and at the same time pays tribute to those (of various ethnicities) who stood up to it, and sacrificed themselves in the process.
It is unfortunate that so many saw fit to give this film such low ratings. A balanced portrayal of all people doesn't always leave us feeling comfortable. But maybe we can look in the mirror for few moments, and learn from the positives and negatives alike.
To Spike Lee: Well done!
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