I went into this wanting to like it, knowing it was a true story..
The first hour is a home-front dramatic boring soap opera, then corny spoon-fed humor during boot camp with Vince Vaughn as the fat DI! Not once was there an F-bomb anywhere in the movie, not quite WWII era grunt realism. "gee-golly gosh-darn"
Next we have a Law&Order case type movie, I was checking my watch at that point maybe over an hour in.. I really felt nothing for this character given the direction.
Now we get to battle, with a character I really don't feel for, here's Mel's redundant video-game like battle scenes: Machine-gun/Flame-thrower/grenade*Machine-gun/Flame-thrower/grenade*Machine-gun/Flame-thrower/grenade*Machine-gun/Flame-thrower/grenade*Machine-gun/Flame-thrower/grenade*Machine-gun/Flame-thrower/grenade*Machine-gun/Flame-thrower/grenade* ...Of course with some CGI thrown in, and childish zombie type jump-scares. I don't want to hear that's how it was, yes battles have highs and lulls, but this fast paced editing is just what a 12yr old would eat up. But yet we are not playing COD, we're supposed to be watching an Oscar worthy movie?? Ya right, I'll forward all my bank account on paypal to anyone who wants it if this wins an Oscar.
The soundtrack was lacking, the most generic type classic scores playing.
There was no art in this film, just a overlong drawn out made-for-tv style movie..
What happened to great anti-war movies like: Platoon, Thin Red Line, Stalingrad 93', Hamburger Hill, Beach Red, Long days Dying, Come and See, Cross Of Iron, Rescue dawn, Rumor Of War, and 84 Charlie Mopic? All these new war movies are so watered down, and comedic like SPR, Windtalkers, or Hacksaw, all I can think of is the producers want the kids to buy tickets, as adults don't pay off anymore.
I have nothing but respect for the vets this movie was based off, I just wish some better director got a hold of the story, or a full feature documentary was done on it.
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Reply by Arrrrrrrach
on February 18, 2017 at 5:54 PM
I felt the same way. Can't believe this is the work that follows Apocalypto...it's like a different person altogether made it. Hopefully he feels he has to atone for falling out with pretty much the entire media and that this is a blip. Please make the Viking film, Mel. Make it good.
Reply by A to Z
on February 18, 2017 at 9:40 PM
It's just the wrong territory for Gibson. He is great at doing over the top dramatic violence. But if he is attempting to do anything that is supposed to resemble real life in any way, it's going to go wrong. Apocalypto was great because it's about a world that is totally alien to us.
What the hell was that scene when he was playing soccer with grenades? Did anyone else find that laughably absurd?
Reply by Badlands1
on February 19, 2017 at 2:56 AM
Ya that grenade "slapping" scene apparently happened so fans will argue you down, but picking up a half torso with one hand and firing a never ending BAR with the other while running?
Reply by A to Z
on February 19, 2017 at 7:31 AM
How come that guy never ran out of bullets, and why didn't they give all of the soldiers one of those guns?
Reply by Wolf359
on February 21, 2017 at 6:27 AM
Unfortunately James Horner has passed away or we would have gotten a great score for HR I'm sure. Still, I liked Rupert Gregson-Williams' score.
Other than that I'm sure you can downgrade any movie if that's your intention.
Reply by Badlands1
on February 21, 2017 at 9:08 AM
Wow that's a bit harsh? I have left several positive reviews for movies, I guess I could say since you have a comic book image, you would have loved the video-game battle scenes in HSR
Reply by DanDare
on February 21, 2017 at 10:12 AM
It is a bit corny but would I not say it is overrated.
Reply by Wolf359
on February 21, 2017 at 10:36 AM
No offense. I understand that you had high expectations and that the movie let you down. What I don't get is why do you waste your time writing about it if you hate it so much ? That doesn't make sense unless you get paid for it ?
Reply by batdroid
on February 21, 2017 at 10:43 AM
Well, Mel Gibson is seriously being considered for suicide 2 which i think is a good idea. i like his brand of action and it might bring a level of energy that was missing from the 1st film
Reply by Badlands1
on February 22, 2017 at 1:11 AM
@Wolf359
Sure it makes sense; it's an opinion, or may I ask why would you leave a bad review for a restaurant? Simple, to warn others not to waste their money, and to try and force management to change. If we sat back and let this mindless unrealistic crap trying to portray history on film pass. Film and art would go downhill. I'm sure you can see multiple people have agreed with me on this, meaning they came here to also warn others of the negative effects of this film.
Reply by Wolf359
on February 22, 2017 at 2:25 AM
See I don't have a problem with that, everybody is entitled to an opinion.
Seriously ? Did I watch a different movie ?
I'm not claiming that HR is the best movie ever made, but 10 minutes standing ovation + 6 Oscar nominations + (as of today) 174m gross on a 40m budget vs your (unrealistic) bashing (review, if that's what you call it). Sorry man but you just lost your credibility as a reviewer.
Please :)
Reply by Badlands1
on February 22, 2017 at 9:15 AM
Haha you think HSR is realistic to what WWII was like? You must have never read or seen any documentary on WWII before, please re-read my OP. Picking up a half torso with one hand, no swearing, zombie type jump scares. Japanese soldiers like mindless ants running into get killed. Dumb corny humor and one liners throughout, fireball after fireball, endless clips and mags... Let me guess the only other WWII films you've seen is SPR, BoB, Fury, and Windtalkers right?
The majority of others agree with me, my credibility is fine, and sorry this won't win an Oscar.
Reply by Wolf359
on February 22, 2017 at 9:32 AM
and
Now you're assuming and making things up ! I never claimed HR was realistic. (are you 12 ?) Besides, a movie doesn't have to be realistic to be a good one.
Look up the word Kamikaze. (Granted, there weren't any Japanese pilots in the movie, but still same mentality.)
You wish :)
(what's BoB ?)
Reply by Heisenberg12
on February 22, 2017 at 9:48 AM
Dude, you need to really settle down with your spin on the movie and lies.
I'll bet you $1k that it wins an Oscar. Right there, you lose and you'll be proven false, a liar, and a fraud.
You must have no life to be so obsessed with a film you hate. I used to see a lot of posters such as yourself over at IMDB, and you idiots are the reason they're shutting down. What you should be doing is spending more time on movies you like.
You're lying because you are spinning and cherry picking 2 scenes in the movie and focusing on them, AS IF there's no other film besides those. Do you realize you could do that with just about any film ever made? If you don't like a movie, even a great one, you can pick 2 scenes and harp on them to make it worse than it was. It's a poor argument and cheap.
You keep saying "most people" agree with you, which proves you are delusional. Very few people even discuss films on boards, and this is the highest rated audience film of 2016, if not #2 behind only LA La Land, and that proves you're lying and delusional you can't recognize that. You're in a bubble and making things up about this stuff. Check RT and IMDB- "most people" (who don't use discussion boards) rate this the #1 or #2 best movie of 2016. Just get real here or quit lying and your BS. In addition, even the Academy, many whom hate Gibson, gave this 6 Oscar nods, including Gibson for best director. So "most" educated, experienced filmmaking experts- actresses, actors, directors, producers, etc- even disagree with your misleading statements. You're delusional.
It's just a great story and awesome movie. Did you know that this was an indie and made with only $40 million? Even in 1996 or whatever, Braveheart was made with $70 million. It's really amazing what they were able to accomplish with such a small budget, but regardless, it's one he'll of a great film. No movie is perfect, it's not perfect, but it's an amazing and good film.
You're in the minority and missing out on the greatness of the story and filmmaking in this.
A guy picks up a torso and fires a bar for 5 seconds and a dying cadaver awakens when touched for 2 seconds, so what? Get over it.
The first battle scene is one of the greatest action sequences I've ever seen in the history of film.
Reply by Bruce Melvin
on February 22, 2017 at 9:53 AM
But it's fun