Change Your Image
bradleychandler27
Reviews
Horizon Line (2020)
Riveting
It's kinda like a horror film-you can either focus on all the details, or you can open yourself up to it and enjoy it. After reading some of the other reviews, I think it just depends on whether or not you've ever truly known what love is. That and whether or not you have the slightest inkling of what life is. This movie is all about the story, and it's a better story than what we're typically spoon fed.
Dances with Wolves (1990)
A Great Look Into Lakota Language, Culture, and History
This film solidifies its place in history with its accurate portrayal of the Lakota.
To begin with, their reaction to Lieutenant Dunbar shows how the Lakota originally reacted to the presence of white men. White men spent many years passing through Lakota lands before white people began settling there, and relations were relatively peaceful up until that point.
As another example, in one scene where Kicking Bird appears shirtless, one can see the scars on his chest from the Sundance Ceremony.
The visuals of the film are simply stunning, particularly the way that the majesty of the buffalo is captured.
However, what makes this film truly incredible is it's use of the Lakota language, as well as the story of that use. Doris Leader Charge (Pretty Shield in the film), a Lakota language teacher at Sinte Gleska College, transformed the film with her presence and contribution. Thanks to her, this is likely the most accurate and extensive collection of a nation's language in any film. Just over a decade later, Lakota Language Consortium began a revitalization of the language.
Finally, a favorite quote from the movie, and in many ways a perfect one for it:
"Nothing I have been told about these people is correct."
The Outpost (2019)
One of the Greatest War Films for Lessons in Leadership
I must first say that I do not mean any offense in the following assessment. They all deserve the utmost respect, especially the fallen.
This is one of the greatest war films for a myriad of reasons. It encapsulates the most basic facts of war: people die, most of the time is spent screwing around, the sense of humor that accompanies proximity to death, the man on the ground knows the situation there better than anyone else (regardless of rank), and that soldiers fight for their brothers in arms more than anything else. There are scenes/conversations throughout that challenge the viewer's thinking. For example:
The conversation between Carter and Sergeant Gallegos is some of the best writing that's been put into a film:
Gallegos: "You read the Bible, Carter? Violent as hell. Full of stories about Christians using force for good?"
Carter: "Yeah, I've read it. Muslims think they're using force for good, too."
Gallegos: "Well, we can't both be right."
Carter: "But we can both be wrong."
However, the primary greatness of this film is its examples of leadership, both good and bad. In order from best to worst leaders:
1. Captain Keating
2. Lieutenant Bundermann
3. Staff Sargeant Romesha
4. Captain Portis
5. Captain Yllescas
6. Captain Broward
Most of the other Sergeants I would rank on either side of Cpt Portis. I do not want this review to last forever, though, so I've mostly contained it to the officers.
1. Captain Keating makes the top of the list over Bundermann only because it was Keating's leadership that Bundermann immolated. He clearly cares about his men, knows them, and is actually trying to learn and understand his enemy as well. On top of that, he epitomizes leading from the front, determined as he was to not ask his men to do something he wouldn't do himself (driving the LMTV).
2. Lieutenant Bundermann ultimately makes it above SSG Romesha because of his treatment of Yunger when he had his breakdown. As Colonel (ret.) David Hackworth would have put it, "Yunger's cup was full." Bundermann recognized that, and that he was past the point of being a liability without some time to empty the cup. His conversation with Carter afterwards is another great example of knowing one of his men and doing what is necessary. His waterboarding scene is a great showing of his willingness to earn the trust of his men, followed up by being given command and immediately making tactical decisions, with a strategical mindset. The final battle scene reaffirms this, and perhaps his greatest quality: coolness under duress.
3. Sergeant Romesha is perhaps the most well-rounded leader portrayed in the film. However, his is not always the best judgement, nor does he have the rank (and consequent responsibility) of Keating or Bundermann. Yet, his leadership is phenomenal throughout the film on all fronts.
4. Captain Portis has a solid reputation coming in, and his leadership is briefly portrayed in his conversation with Lt Bundermann.
5. Captain Yllescas is a decent leader when it comes to his men, though not as understanding of his enemy as Keating had been. However, he makes some bad tactical decisions. He does put himself in harm's way, though. His conversation with Griffin, however, does not make him seem particularly intelligent. He cares about his men, but he doesn't really understand them nor does he seem capable of doing so.
6. Captain Broward is by far the worst example of leadership in the film. He immediately disregards the tactical situation and its issues to instead ask about the number of Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers are there. His next scene shows his way of thinking--there's always somebody else to do it. He refuses to make the tactical decision to apprehend Yllescas' probable killer, instead passing the responsibility to investigators. He really shows what he cares about when they come under fire again, and his chewing out afterwards. That he won't even leave the safety of the TOC to take a leak says a lot about his physical courage. How he treats Sergeant Kirk over the girl the village elders bring, followed by his execution of the dog, solidifies that his men are not his top priority. And of course, he *says* that he "lasted 10 seconds, a year ago in Iraq." Across the board, everything he does is an example of bad leadership.
The Trench (1999)
An Attempt at an Accurate WWI Movie
Any movie trying to portray events of WWI must have as its crux the story of the soldiers involved. That is the one saving grace and highlight of this film. The stories of the individuals involved is the focal point. That said, there were a lot of problems with the story and the film has little to no value outside of it. The writing was headed in the right direction, but was only ever part of the way there, is the best I can put it.