A ragtag group of old men
I can see why this movie has been getting some bad reviews, considering that this isn't one of those great big action war movie with Clooney turns a lot of people off. Or maybe its the fact that people just hate Clooney to much. The cast in this film for the most part works, I especially like Bill Murray and John Goodman's respective characters they both had some fairly light hearted moments and their chemistry worked well for the most part. Matt Damon was fine in this picture, his acting was neither hit or miss, I personally like him better in Saving Private Ryan but he is serviceable in this flick. The supporting cast is fine too they all portray their respective characters fairly well and while the dialogue at times can be a bit monotonous at times they all seem to be with it for the most part. George Clooney the director-actor rounds out the cast and while I think that his directing capabilities are not as good as he believes them to be, his acting ones are far better especially in this piece.
This movie is based on a book that accounts a mission to save valuable art during the closing years of World War 2, that being said the story isn't your typical war movie. The biggest gripe that one can make about this film is that the pacing is a bit off, the start of the film drags its feet for a long while, mixed in with some out of pace scenes to break up the slow pace. It just feels a little unbalanced in that regard, of course most critics seem to have heavily criticising the message of the film as well as George himself. The message being that art is worth more then human life because it shows that we had lived all those years ago and that without our history we are nothing. While I don't necessarily agree with it, I don't disagree with it either its all about what feelings you have towards the mission.
The music in the film was your typical highs and lows of contemporary war films, nothing to write home about. Some of the set pieces are nice to hear but the rest of it you have most likely heard before. Everything else fits the feel of 1945 Europe from the streets of Paris to the bombed out battle fields of Germany this is a period piece and what you expect to be here is for the most part in this film.
In conclusion, George Clooney directs and acts in a film about an obscure mission to retrieve stolen art from the Nazi's and return it to the rightful owners. Its by no means Oscar worthy but it is not a complete waste of time like so many have seem to be saying.
The Monuments Men: 6/10
+ Bill Murray and John Goodman
+ Some good sequences
- Bogged down by some monotonous scene and dialogue
- Moves slower then it needs to be
No comments:
Post a Comment