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Hart's War (2002)

Rate: 8
Viewed: 2/24

HartW
2/24: Once in a while, I'll see a good movie when I expect it the least, and this time, it's Hart's War.

I thought it was going to be another WWII picture, but this is a complete surprise. Yes, the first hour had my eyes rolling because of the premise. Then, the second half came which changed everything. I began to see strong performances coming out of Bruce Willis, Terrence Howard, and Marcel Iureș. Colin Farrell isn't bad, either.

There's a bit of everything: Hogan's Heroes, A Few Good Men, and The Great Escape. But Hart's War is much different and nothing that I've seen before. It's interesting how honor is presented. First, Terrence Howard wants to claim it. Then, it's Colin Farrell who wants it more. But Bruce Willis manages to outdo them all. It's a noble effort of his character.

Hart's War got bad reviews and also tanked big time at the box office. The only way to appreciate the film is to move past the premise, however implausible and historically inaccurate it is. Once done, it's quite good that's back to old-fashioned filmmaking. By the way, although up to a point, Marcel Iureș plays the most friendly Nazi officer since Max von Sydow in Victory.

All in all, you shouldn't think of Hart's War as another war movie because it's not.