****Possible spoilers*****

        Whenever we go to see a film, especially at the cinemas, the filmmakers, stars, producers, directors and studios want people to be talking about that film when those patrons exit the front doors.  They want them thinking about what they just saw and talk about it with their friends, discuss any certain themes they saw or emotions they felt watching it.  Even if they hated it, at least they can discuss what they didn't like about it, what didn't work. When I left the theater after seeing this movie, Warner Independent Surveyors were standing at every conceivable exit with pad and paper, trying to get comments from the people exiting.  My wife hurried me along, not wanting to be one of the people stopped, but on our way out, we heard many different people expressing their views, loudly and vocally and they were all across the board.

"4 Stars"
"Horrible ending"
"I didn't get it"
"really, really good story"

But, in the end they all got a reaction.  My reaction, my first thought of this film was that this would not be the Army's favorite movie of 2007, or probably of this decade.  The film seems to be very pro military at first glance, but at it's core it is very prolific in being anti war and seemingly anti military in all aspects.  My brother is in the military, infantry division and he was stationed in Afghanistan for a while so watching some of the footage in this film is quite difficult because it supports my very worst fear for him, and that he would not be the same joyful, happy person he was before he left.  It gives weight to the theory that war scars people, irreversably and, as obvious as it seems, we don't always see the people it effects the most and that's the soldiers.  As most of our army consists of young men, often with no goals in mind or previous trouble with the law, or a bad student, or from pressure from their parents,  the army thrives on recruiting this group of  wayward outcasts and peer pressured men and women and throwing them into foreign countries with the promise of being their country's savior, heroes of the United States, freedom fighters and true blood patriots.  Quoting one of the characters in the film, he says "Iraq is not a place to send heroes."

The main plot of the film is a murder mystery, essentially and in that regards, is pretty basic and there's nothing new to discover there.  The performances in this film are quite good and feel authentic, as if you could find withered and tired Tommy Lee Jones driving gravel trucks in a small Texas town and you could find a subdued and very homely Charlize Theron as a detective who may or may not have slept her way into the job she has.  The performances all feel very true to the characters that are portraying them and there is not a case of overacting in the film.  But, it's the moral center that permeates so strongly with me even almost 24 hours after seeing it and probably will for some time.  It shows the worst side of people, and often in the film, there is no one to point to as guilty; the Army, the military, the police and even the parents of an unfortunate dead soldier are smoke and mirrors, each wearing different shades of gray of their guilt and involvement at the place the film arrives at.  If one were to make a decision as to where this film lies, it would be strongly on the left and makes no bones about what is wrong with the way we are using our young soldiers as mindless killing machines in a war that no one is ever going to win, regardless of how many terrorists are brought to justice.  Is the youth of this generation worth that sacrifice?  It's an issue much too large for me to tackle in this small film review and one that has, sadly, plagued not only our generation but the previous four before us, with Desert Storm, Vietnam, Korea, and World War II.

I would recommend seeing this film but go with an open mind.  It's not a thoroughly profound film but it does make some choices and shows us things we hear about and see on the news nightly but want no part of.  Sadly, these memories are indeliably etched into the minds of the forthcoming leaders of the world, the generation of soldiers fighting for us.  For us…. Just let that sink in for a moment and decide if what they are fighting for is for us or not.  After seeing this film, you may not agree so much anymore.  I would like to agree with much of what this film resonates while still feeling much compassion and love for the ideals that these men are fighting for, not the principles and not the directives handed down to them from way high above their heads, men in ivory towers, government offices who have gained so much money and power from this ongoing tragedy that they can't look over it anymore and forget that they've sent many sons and daughters to death for their own gain.  Watch this film until the very end and don't turn your eyes from the final scene until it fades to the credits.  Let that image engrain itself and allow yourself to understand the message that it sends.  I still am at this minute and it both scares and reassures me.  I'm very proud to be an American but that doesn't stop me from being ashamed of America.

- Jessie