This Review Reveals Minor Details About the Plot.
He Died With His Boots On.
Plot Overview
U.S. Army SF
Medical Sergeant James Harper (Chris Pine) is from a strong military
background of friends, church & family. He self-administers medicines
for his ailing knee so he can up his enlistment but is found out
(“Took sh!t for my knee and they found it in my
blood”) and discharged sans pension or benefits. The bills are piling
up and he has a family to support, so he accepts his buddy Mike (Ben
Foster)'s offer to sign on as a private contractor with enigmatic Rusty
Jennings's outfit operating under Title 50 below the radar.
He and Mike are part of a sub rosa team
sent to Germany to surveil bioterrorist Salim Mohammed Mosad
and effect a data heist when his guard is down. The Polizei arrive ahead of prediction
and it's a bloodbath with Mike and James on the run, one of them
wounded and the other ailing. They get separated, lied to, and betrayed.
The jig is up, as it were.
Ideology
James ends up at odds with Rusty's crew
according to the well-tread biblical formula, (Prov. 30:33) “Surely the churning
of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth
forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.”
Churning liquid milk over time suddenly transforms it into solid
butter. A continuing aggravation can suddenly change a state of peace
into a state of war. In this movie a kid is getting a tattoo but we
don't know what those inscribed lines are until an American flag emerges.
It falls to James to execute the terrorist up close and personal,
but his hostage pleads that this is a terrible misunderstanding,
that he's an altruist working for the good of mankind. Sure,
buddy. However, as the plot thickens and more lines fill in the
picture, James concludes that the guy was legit, and Rusty for financial
gain had set them up.
As “the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood” so do social relations break down over a provocation in a critical area. Bald betrayal by comrades in arms who are supposed to have one's back will do that to a guy.
Production Values
“” (2022) was directed by Tarik Saleh. It was written by J.P. Davis. It stars Chris Pine, Gillian Jacobs and Sander Thomas. Pine the protagonist brings his character to the plate and the supporting actors bring him in.
MPAA rated it R for violence and language. Yes, there is that. The pacing is reminiscent of military life: hurry up and wait. The start is slow bordering on boredom, but once James is on assignment it leaps forward at a breakneck speed. The handheld camera is shaky and the film's contrast too sharp resulting in a cheesy feel. It hurt an otherwise decent picture. The background music is generic strings. The action sequences, to the director's credit, are grounded in reality, which makes it easier to watch.
Review Conclusion w/a Christian's Recommendation
After a stretched out lead up, the action never lets up. If you're looking for military action, this one should suit you. All the background plot is easy to follow with some nice surprises. This one's for the action fan.
Movie Ratings
Action factor: Edge of your seat action-packed. Suitability For Children: Not Suitable for Children of Any Age. Special effects: Average special effects. Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day. Suspense: Keeps you on the edge of your seat. Overall movie rating: Three and a half stars out of five.
bibles.n7nz.org