DVD
REVIEW: STOP-LOSS

07/08/08

SYNOPSIS: Decorated Iraq war hero Sgt. Brandon King
makes a celebrated return to his small Texas hometown
following his tour of duty. Brandon tries to resume the life
he left behind with the help and support of his family and
his best friend, Steve Shriver, who served with him in Iraq.
Alongside their war-time buddies, Brandon and Steve try to
make peace with civilian life. Then, against Brandon’s will,
the Army orders him back to duty in Iraq. This upends
Brandon’s entire world. The conflict into which he is thrown
tests everything he believes in: the bond of family, the
loyalty of friendship, the limits of love, and the value of
honor.
REVIEW:
Military Clerk: Brandon Leonard King?
Brandon King: Yes.
Military Clerk: You have orders to report to the First
Brigade.
Brandon King: Not me, I'm gettin' out today.
Military Clerk: You leave on the 22nd, shipping back to
Iraq. You've been Stop-Lossed.
Can you imagine after having served honorably in the war and
completing your tour of duty full of violence and death,
barely surviving, to come back to the States expecting to be
able to stay home but instead receive orders to go back to
Iraq? That is what a stop loss is and that is what Brandon
King (Ryan Phillippe) is facing. Talk about a predicament.
Brandon decides to fight it and goes AWOL all the while
struggling with his decision, and what a tough decision to
make. While you and I are deciding what to wear the next day
or what to have for lunch, some brave souls are deciding to
fight for our country with honor risking their very lives.
This movie takes us on this challenging journey along with
Brandon. It is as powerful as it is emotional. It is as real
as it is thought-provoking. It is as well acted as it is
well cast. Many of you might think “Oh no, not another movie
about the war in Iraq”. I will tell you that out of the
collection of recent war related movies to come out, this
one is at the top or at least very near it. The film focuses
more on the soldiers and their many issues than the war
itself. This is a plus as it makes it less controversial.
Amongst the recent movies, it can probably be best compared
to In the Valley of Elah. The stories are quite different
but there are a lot of similarities.
War is hell. I believe the vast majority of us would agree
on that. However and unfortunately, many times in the
history of mankind, war is a necessary evil. The controversy
lies in who decides when it is necessary, for what reason,
and for how long. War changes a person. It is a state of
constant vigilance and constant violence. Unfortunately for
many, you can take the soldier away from the violence, but
you can’t take the violence away from the soldier. Even if
you bring them back home, back to their “regular” lives,
they will never be the same. This movie does an incredible
job of showing us all of these aspects of war through its
storyline and its characters. Its success also lies in the
praise worthy writing and directing done by Kimberly Peirce,
and the eye-opening performances delivered by the cast. Ryan
gives one of the best performances of his career, strong and
passionate. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is on a streak with some of
the demanding roles he has come across lately. Both Channing
Tatum and Abbie Cornish give career-defining performances.
Considering that it is a mostly young cast, they carried the
movie well.
The cinematography helped with the overall effect of the
movie. You are taken through the streets of Iraq, the
streets of Texas, and the streets across these United
States. From the homes to the bars to the motel parking
lots, everything looked believable. Writer/Director Kimberly
Peirce (Boys Don’t Cry) has successfully reinforced her
talent with this moving piece. I could hear the sniffles in
the audience. One of the messages I got from Kimberly
through this production is at what point does a soldier say
“enough is enough”? If you saw In the Valley of Elah and
liked it, or if you can stomach another war movie, this one
is worth the watch (my new catch phrase instead of saying
worth watching).
Review By Cine Marcos
cinemarcos@smartcine.com
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VIDEO:
16x9 Widescreen
AUDIO:
English,
Spanish and French
5.1 (Dolby Digital).
Subtitles - English Spanish
French - Optional
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Commentary: Commentary by Director Kimberly Peirce and
Co-Writer Mark Richard
The Making of Stop-Loss:
An inside look at the making of the film featuring
comments from director/writer Kimberly Peirce. Very
interesting featurette (20:57)
A Day In Boot Camp
The cast share their comments about the Boot Camp they were
part of in order to prepare for the film(10:02)
Deleted Scenes:
A total of 11 deleted scenes all with an option commentary
by director Kimberly Peirce. These scenes don't add too much
to the story, but if you like the movie, maybe you want to
check these scenes out.(18:33)
RATING BREAK DOWN:
FILM REVIEW |
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VIDEO |
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AUDIO |
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BONUS
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