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Stevie Spielberg's latest as war porn? Maybe. The superbly staged combat sequences are easily the most effective elements in this ex- citing-but-kinda-empty World War II epic. In particular, the har- rowing, hyper-real opener-- a grunt's-eye view of the Normandy in- vasion-- crouches head and shoulders above subsequent scenes. (The rubble-strewn finale, though less-focused, rates a reasonably close second.) When the hail of bullets dies down, however, the film is, by turns, tedious, talky, too broad, too bland, occasionally confu- sing, sometimes stupefying (oy, that present-day coda!), and, by the end, not nearly as emotionally affecting as the subject matter suggests. (With a Gore Quotient that might make Paul Verhoven blush, the "R"-rated film is indeed *physically* affecting. Even Yours Truly felt a flash of the queasies...) In fact, the whole thing has the not-fully-satisfying feel of a fable, albeit one with a dose of jaw-dropping realism. (Between this and THERE'S SOME- THING ABOUT MARY, talk about a summer of shocking sights! Dying soldiers... lost semen...) The obvious message is "war is war" and maybe the best way to serve such bitter medicine is by wrapping it in something sweeter and that we've tasted before. With it's stock characters, freshly scrubbed stars, and only occasionally intrusive John Williams score, you might think you've fought this particular battle before. Starring Tom Hanks, with Tom Sizemore, Ed Burns, Jeremy Davies, Vin Diesel, Adam Goldberg, and about, oh, 45 minutes worth of Matt Damon. (Rated "R"/170 min.) Grade: B Copyright 1998 Michael J. Legeros Movie Hell is a trademark of Michael J. Legeros
Originally posted to triangle.movies as MOVIE
HELL: July 26, 1998