Nominee
Perhaps my greatest error was watching this film so soon after The Thin Red Line, because it fell very short by comparison. The predominant issue being a complete lack of subtlety throughout the technical aspects coupled by some of the most egregious over acting I think has ever been displayed. The moral root of this story was not complex enough for the heavy handedness they were wielding and I for one feel like I have been mauled in the face by a self righteous sledgehammer for two and a half hours.
The story here is straightforward and is based on the real life of Ron Kovic, a Vietnam veteran who initially believes in the cause but ultimately became disenchanted by it. This is, indeed, a story worth telling but the script writing completely missed the mark here. Great films show most of their content visually and leave the interpretation in the hands of the audience, mediocre films do a little too much telling in the dialogue, and in this instance we were told, and told, and told again why we were watching and I was bored. Meanwhile the actual character arc of Kovic was stilted by the time lapses of the plot. The narrative jumped to and from random years and locations and by doing this the audience did not actually get to see Kovic's descent but rather the final product making him a rather unbelievable protagonist.
However, it is not just the blatancy of the script writing that is at fault because this was flawed as much in the show as it was in the tell. The cinematography was crippling to the pace of this film, Oliver Stone and company abused the slow motion to no end. The imagery was at times very well constructed but because the nature of the film was already so exposed some of these prolonged images just came off as excessive and cheesy.
Yet, if I am really handing out the award for excessive cheesiness, Mr. Cruise has won with flying colors. A much better actor might have been able to tone down the dialogue's lack of forbearance, but instead he basically yelled the entire time. Making what I believe should have been some of the emotional climaxes of the film comical (i.e. The don't shout penis conversation, and his desert fight with Dafoe). Needless to say, if I wanted to be screamed at by Tom Cruise I would go seek him out in person.
Overall: The one saving grace of this film was John Williams' soundtrack, at least I could close my eyes and listen to a soaring score when all else failed. (That is if I could hear it over Tom Cruise's bellowing.) Quite frankly I found this film insulting, Vietnam is an extremely dynamic topic but this was dumbed down beyond recognition. Which demonstrates a complete lack of faith in any intelligence of the viewership. Go watch Apocalypse Now instead.
