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DVDSimilarProduct
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Customer reviews
The imminent end of WWII doesn't bring happiness to everyone 
by .. David Thomson (Houston, TX USA)
World War II is rapidly winding down. Soldiers on both sides realize that Germany will surrender in the near future. Lt. Thomas Hart (Colin Farrell) has the misfortune to be captured by the Germans and sent to Stalig 17. He is greeted by Col. William McNamara (Bruce Willis), a third generation West Point career
officer. The latter is not pleased at sitting out the remaining time of the war as a P.O.W. Col. McNamara has a family tradition to uphold, and the gods of the universe are not cooperating. Someone with a more prudent disposition might decide to patiently wait to be liberated. The Colonel, though, is not so inclined and has every intention to rebel at every chance he gets. Marcel Iures is splendidly cast as the German P.O.W. commandant, Col. Werner Wisser, who loves American Jazz, and seems totally disinterested in Nazi ideology. He has a job to do, and merely desires to stay out of harm's way. There is no sense in needlessly irritating the inevitable winners of the war. The German officer is more than willing to cut the Americans some slack as long as they sufficiently abide by the camp's rules. Iure's character is indispensable to the plot, and his performance should be remember when it's time for the Oscar nominations.
The addition of two Afro-American pilots disrupts the harmony of the camp. The racist attitudes of a few white prisoners threatens to endanger the safety of everyone. One of these racists is murdered and this is when the story really takes off. Terrence Dashon Howard admirably portrays the black pilot suspected of the
crime. It is Lt. Hart's duty to defend him in less than ideal circumstances. Is the black officer guilty? If not, why is he being framed, and by whom? Director Gregory Hoblit puts together an intelligent movie highlighting the racism of that period. Some viewers may be surprised to learn that Nazis were often better treated by white Americans than the blacks who served in their own military. The film has some weaknesses, but still is worth seeing. There's enough here to give it four and a half stars.
It couldn't happen this way, but I loved it anyway! by .. Linda Linguvic (New York City)
I enjoy war movies. This was no exception. The only problem is that I don't think this story could have ever happened. Once I realized that, I could relax and let myself be held in an iron grip of twists and turns of the plot, constant surprises throughout and an inevitable satisfying conclusion. No, this film is not primarily about an escape effort by a group of POWs in Nazi Germany as the trailer would have you believe. It's much more complex than that. It's about heroism and sacrifice, but it's also about racism among our own troops and the hard decisions that people have to make.
Bruce Willis, cast as an American colonel in the prison camp, actually has the right to command his men even though they are incarcerated. He is considered the star of the film, but the real star is Colin Farrell, cast as Lieutenant Tommy Hart, whose capture and interrogation is presented in gruesome detail. By the time he arrives at the prison camp, we have already seen him under pressure and we have doubts about his strengths. The prison camp is crowded and when two African-American Tuskegee Airmen are captured, there is blatant racism among the other prisoners. When a murder occurs, Bruce Willis convinces the German commandant to allow him to conduct his own military trial right inside the prison camp. This is where reality breaks down, but the story is so intriguing that it just led me on. Another piece of great casting is that of the SS Major, played by Marcel Ivres. He plays his role with just the right amount of arrogance and contempt and the viewer gets to see him as an individual and not just a stereotype. And Terrance Dashon Howard, cast in the role of the black officer on trial, is excellent.
Filmed in Prague, we are treated to the excellent cinematography we've learned to expect and the long shots of the winter landscape are excellent. The acting is consistently good, the theme modern, and the plot riveting. It's a good story, well told. If, later, it seems a little incredulous - well, who ever said a movie was supposed to be real? Some might find it too violent, but for war-film aficionados, I definitely recommend it.
Best Ending by .. Jason ()
This movie has one of the best endings and definitely the most surprise one I've ever seen in any movie. This isn't an action war movie, it just happens to be set during WWII to make it work. It is a court case drama with a very unexpected and touching ending. It doesn't portray all Germans as animals as some movies do - it actually show some of them as humans who do care a little bit about justice.
Colin Farrel does a splendid job as the role of the lead actor. Bruce Willis does better but his role is not the lead one. He does an exceptional job of letting Colin Farrel take a lot of the camera time while at the same time making the movie. Without him it couldn't have happened. Bruce Willis is exceptional and both characters will surprise you at the end. If you don't buy it it is a must see unless you can't stand courtroom drama.
war is hell by .. JGC ()
I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy "Hart's War" as much as I did. But the more the movie progressed the better it got because each character was incredibly multi-faceted and thought-provoking. Colin Farrell plays Lieutenant Hart, a former law student who now has to use what little schooling he received to defend Lieutenant Scott (Terrence Howard), a pilot who is being forced to be the patsy in a military murder trail. This is the first movie I have ever seen with Colin Farrell and I was very impressed with him because his emotions run the gamut of everything from enraged to terrified to shocked with such percision and complexity. As usual Bruce Willis (as Colonel McNamara) was perfect. Although the part is considerly smaller compared to Colin Farrell, Bruce sort of walked away with this movie because he is really the most memorable. What that man can accomplish with his eyes few men can do with their entire bodies. And every word out of his mouth was so real and dramatic that I probably would have thought that I was watching a period documentary (if only I hadn't recognized my very favorite actor). "Hart's War" includes several subplots which all have intricate meanings and all thread into the ultimate story. It's very character-driven (there's not a lot of overt violence). Instead, this film really causes the viewer to think about ethics, honor, integrity and the meaning of honesty. Not since "Judgment at Nuremberg" has there been another war-era movie that is so complex and riveting.
Awesome soundtrack by .. John D. James (The Villages, Florida United States)
I liked all aspects of this movie but rather than repeat the already excellent reviews in this forum, I would like to point out the outstanding soundtrack with the widest dynamic range of any DVD I have ever experienced. The average volume setting (set by normal speech level) on my home theater system is -37db. On this disk I had to crank it up to -29.5db, a hugh difference. The result was the fighter attack sequence and the blowup of the ammo dump literally rocked us in our seats. Having participated in many naval gunfire and weapons demonstrations I can attest that this is close to the way it would have sounded in real life. Very few movie soundtracks and NO TV soundtracks ever achieve anything like the real thing.