| Overall Grade: |
D- |
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| Story: |
D- |
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|
| Acting: |
C |
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|
| Direction: |
F |
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|
| Visuals: |
C |
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|
Big disappointment
by Daniel (movies profile)
Jul 15, 2008
3
of
4 people found this review helpful
War Inc. has a talented cast and takes on the topic of wartime profitiering with glee. Much like Wrong is Right, or Deal of the Century, the film is flawed in many of the same ways.
The main problem of the film is it can't really settle on a style of direction or writing. What could have been very sly and funny, with a strong message, feels like a piecemeal of stories tacked on to add humor that doesn't work.
The film is almost painful to watch. Some of the dialog and performances are way too broad, while others simply not funny. That said, the film has moments that work. One scene in which three characters form a dysfunctional family at a dining table is very touching, while the attack on one of the characters a few moments later is quite jarring.
John Cusak is playing a character he's very familiar with, sliding into the roll with ease, an assassin with a conscious. While this could have been enough to explore, the writers throw in an expo that shows crass commercialism masking as democracy, a wedding to a Britney Spears like character, and a female reporter as a foil/love interest to Cusak's character. There is more, but it would spoil some of the spectacularly unfunny satire. This film feels like the writers watched Deal of the Century and Wrong is Right before writing the third draft of the script, choosing to incorporate some of the ideas. Skating a line between comedy and drama is extremely difficult, and while the film genuinely tries with some dramatic moments, it fails more often with the comedic intent.
A better film is Lord Of War. |
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