DVD
REVIEW: CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR
04/15/08
Can one man really
determine the outcome of an entire war? Congressman Charles
Wilson did pretty much that. With the help of a CIA agent
and one of the wealthiest women in Houston he lead the most
successful covert operation in history. The film begins with
Charlie Wilson being honored for his achievements and a
flashback to April of 1980. Through the flashback, the story
of why he is being honored is told.
Charlie Wilson (Hanks) was a bachelor congressman from Texas
who had a habit of mixing with the wrong crowd. His
approachable friendly exterior, however, masked an
extraordinary mind, a deep sense of patriotism, passion, and
love for the underdog, and in the early 1980s the underdog
was Afghanistan. Joanne Herring (Roberts) was one of
Wilson's many female friends. She was deeply rooted in
Christianity and extremely anti-communist. She was pretty
much the driving motivation and the brains behind the
operation. Joanne arranges a meeting with Wilson and the
President of Pakistan, where Charlie learns of the
atrocities that the Soviets are committing in Afghanistan.
Charlie's partner through all of this is CIA Agent Gust
Avrakotos (Hoffman), a blue-collar, outspoken, and extremely
knowledgeable agent with a dry sense of humor in a company
of Ivy League blue bloods. Together, the three of
them--Charlie, Joanne and Gust--travel the world to form
covert alliances among the Pakistanis, Israelis, Egyptians,
arms dealers, and law makers.
In my opinion the plot of the movie was great. A little
predictable but still great to watch. The film brought you
into the story and gave you an inside look of what Charlie
Wilson may have felt during this time. The story line is
great and is actually quite enjoyable. It is mainly a
historical/political movie, but its got its comedy here and
there. There is a lot of buzz around this movie and it is
well deserved. Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Hoffman
give incredible performances.
Because of Wilson's persistence, tenacity, and enjoyable
character he was able to aid and assist the Mujahideen
(Afghan freedom fighters). Funding for covert operations
against the Soviets went from $5 million to $1 billion
annually. He assisted the Afghans in being the first country
to defeat the great Red Army of the Soviet Union during the
Cold War.
This is not a one-sided movie nor does it try to change your
mind or force any sort of political propaganda. This film is
great for anyone who is somewhat clueless about politics.
Not only is it a great portrayal of the Cold War, but it
also gives an insight and connection to what is going on in
the world today. An incredible cast plus a true story equals
a well regarded historic film. Aside from the political
standpoint, this movie had it's moments where it tugged at
my heartstrings. I enjoyed the aspect of the movie where
they showed the horror of what was going on in Afghanistan
and the personal stories of each of the citizens. It not
only regarded the emotions of the victims, but also the
emotions of the politicians. The love and friendships made
amongst colleagues throughout the movie was touching. It
made you realize that politicians really do have feelings!
Above all I truly enjoyed this film. It wasn't a film that I
was really dying to see but the all-star cast attracted me
to it. I'm glad I chose to see it, because it taught me
about American history painlessly, and although there were
some moments in there where I felt a little confused
(considering I'm not much of a political enthusiast), it
really was a great portrayal of one of the most pivotal
points in American History.
Movie
Review By Luca
VIDEO:
1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
AUDIO:
English,
Spanish and French
5.1 (Dolby Digital).
Subtitles - English Spanish - Optional
SPECIAL FEATURES:
The Making of Charlie Wilson's War:
An inside look at the making of the film featuring
interviews with Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour
Hoffman. (17:10)
Who is Charlie Wilson?:
A profile of the real Charlie Wilson, featuring interviews
with Charlie Wilson, Joanne Herring, Tom Hanks, screenwriter
Aaron Sorkin and director Mike Nichols. (12:22)
RATING BREAK DOWN:
| FILM REVIEW |
|
|
VIDEO |
|
|
AUDIO |
|
| BONUS
FEATURES |
 |
Submit Your Movie Review
MORE MOVIE REVIEWS
>>>
