Not totally accurate, but heartbreaking
How you feel about this movie will depend on how you feel about the invasion and occupation of Iraq in the first place. I've been reading 1-star reviews by pro-military people, including active duty soldiers saying, "These guys are cowards. If you volunteer, you're giving your life to the military, so do your duty." And 4-star reviews by people who are against the war, saying StopLoss captures the heartbreak and trauma this war has caused.
I know this movie isn't particularly accurate, but I still think it's strong. From the point of view of most of the world, this is a movie about the bad guys. These soldiers are people who, because of cultural and economic pressure, joined the military thinking they were protecting their country. ... Read More
Stop the Losses
This movie has a strong anti-war message but presents it in a way that does not dishonor or diminish the soldiers on the front line. It does however offer a pointed and legitimate critique of the government and military leaders. The acting is solid, each character with their own hopes, biases, struggles and loyalties. The painful reality of combat and its indelible impact on those who fight speaks for itself and challenges viewers to look at what they believe in and why.
Wow!
How decent, brave, fairly naive kids get taken advantage of, is what this film invites us to think about. It is more a film about the psychological casualties of war stateside than about battle in Iraq. There is just enough battle to show why kids might have bad dreams and family problems when they get home, and so those scenes were necessarily condensed.This may be somewhat unrealistic, and certainly not representative for all soldiers, much as Jarhead may be not representative of everyone with regard to the boredom side of being in the military.
I do think absolutely that we should honor men and women who enlist with their eyes wide open. But many kids tend to have their eyes wide shut and the system too often takes advantage of this. ... Read More
Stop Loss by Brandon
This movie was o.k. I thought it would be better than it was. The story was good and so were the actors, but it had too many cliches and the movie was too drawn out. Average.
Soldier Rebels Against "Back Door Draft"
"Stop-Loss," the second feature film directed by Kimberly Peirce, focuses on a group of army buddies. We see them in a fire fight in Tikrit, Iraq that leaves several in their squad either dead or severely injured.
Their leader, Sgt. Brandon King (Ryan Phillippe), is thrilled to complete his tour of duty and return to his Texas hometown. There, he is greeted as a hero, decorated with the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, and told by his senator to look him up in Washington if he needs anything. Civilian life is looking good to Brandon when he is unexpectedly ordered back to Iraq, or stop-lossed.
Outraged at the army's failure to fulfill its part of his contract, Brandon decides to fight the order. Instead of going back to base, he ... Read More
