HART'S WAR
As a military analyst might put it, Hart's War suffers from a lack of
clear objectives. It starts out fine as a story of a young man's initiation
into experience -- the German surprise offensive in the Battle of the Bulge
sweeps spoiled senator's son Lieutenant Tommy Hart (Colin Farrell) from a cushy
HQ post to a pit full of massacred GIs (director Gregory Hoblit has talent for
economic visual storytelling and powerful imagery) and subsequent capture and
interrogation by the Nazis. After establishing this beachhead, however, the
film stumbles in various directions ranging from The Great Escape to
A Soldier's Story to A Few Good Men as Hart ships out to Stalag
VI, where he's joined by a pair of African-American pilots, one of whom is
accused of murdering a redneck POW. The POWs' cranky commander, Colonel
McNamara (Bruce Willis, with one expression fitting all scenes), appoints Hart
as the accused's counsel in the ensuing court martial, and no wonder Hart has a
hard time making his case, since at this point it's impossible to tell if this
film is about racism, hypocrisy, power, guilt, justice, sacrifice, or just
whodunit. Clarity comes, surprisingly, from the camp commandant, Colonel Visser
(the delightfully depraved Marcel Iures). "A court martial, like in your
American movies?" he asks cheerily. "That should be fun!" If only. At the
Apple Valley, Entertainment, Holiday, Hoyts Providence 16, and Showcase
cinemas.
Issue Date: February 15 - 21, 2002
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