It's a wonderful and inventive setup that’s based on a play
by William Mastrosimone (With Honors) which makes sense. It’s an ensemble performance about the
horrors of war, mania, redemption, honor, forgiveness, rage, etc. This sort of story seems timeless and I’m
sure just about every culture has an ancient tale that’s similar to it. You could easily have this set in any time
period, any location and with any two foes from any background fighting each
other.
And while all the battle scenes are well staged and the
effects are good and the production design is awesome and the cinematography is
stunning (Douglas Milsome (Full Metal Jacket, Breakdown)) the
centerpiece is definitely the performances which are all really impressive. Of course the one that slaps you in the face
the hardest is George Dzundza (Species II, No Mercy) as the tank
commander. He’s a ruthless fuck who
doesn’t give a shit about anything but his tank. Worse than that though is he has a Queeg
thing going on from The Caine Mutiny where he sees conspiracy against
him everywhere. So you never know when
he’ll turn on you and attempt murder. Dzundza
plays up the delusion and absolute confidence in his authority perfectly. He darts these crazy shifty eyes all over the
place waiting, even daring for someone to defy him. He truly is a scary sonuvabitch.
On the flipside Koverchenko realizes he’s caught between a
rock and hard place. He knows that if he
doesn’t carry out his superior’s orders, like needlessly running over an
incapacitated man with the tank, he’ll get shot. He’s not necessarily the best soldier because
he thinks too much for himself instead of mindlessly following his
commander. He also tries to learn a
little about the Afghani culture from an interpreter/soldier/Afghan communist
in his squad. His continued bickering
with his commander escalates until finally the unit ties him to a rock, rests a
grenade behind his head and leaves him for dead. The Afghans find him and decide to take him
prisoner instead of dispatching him on the spot. Koverchenko is pissed so when the Afghans
offer him the chance to join their venture to destroy the tank he takes it.
This relationship between Taj and Koverchenko is complex and
beautiful. They don’t know each other’s
language, have different customs, values and motives yet they join forces and
bond over this one objective to make the soldiers in that fuckin’ tank
pay. Is the enemy of your enemy your
friend? Or do you still hold a grudge
because their past is irreconcilable?
Taj makes a ballsy move at the risk of losing his men’s respect by
reaching out to Koverchenko for help.
His expertise and insider knowledge would be exceptionally valuable for
the mission. Neither man ever thought
they’d be in this incredibly awkward and delicate situation which makes it all
the more touching when they form an uneasy alliance.
The trickiest aspect of the film is how it messes with your
emotions about Koverchenko. At first
he’s a monster because he’s part of a crew that mercilessly destroys people’s
lives. Then he turns on his own squad so
you want to root for him. Taj doesn’t
know how to feel either by asking “are you a devil or an angel?” And I guess the answer is he’s both. It’s complicated. It depends on who you ask, when you ask and
what your objectives are. And I love
that the film lets you decide for yourself where you stand.
So check this one out.
It’s Kevin Reynolds’ (The Count of Monte Cristo, Waterworld) best
picture which…may…not be the best way to sell it. Look, it’s a fantastic movie that I wasn’t
expecting much out of and ended up really digging.
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