Hart's War | | Cast : | Bruce Willis, Colin Farrell | | Director : | Gregory Hoblit | | Studio : | MGM/UA Video | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | February 15, 2002 | | DVD Released Date : | May 04, 2004 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Dubbed) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | June 15, 2005 | | Summary | Awful! | Content
 | Saw "Hart's War" the other night and couldn't really believe anyone would invest money and time in a film as awful as this one. This film bombed at the box office and was yanked from circulation after only a few days. Here are ten reasons why:
1. This film isn't "The Great Escape" and even though he would probably like to think otherwise, Bruce Willis isn't Steve McQueen. Even though Willis received top billing, this is a Colin Farrell vehicle.
2. The vast majority of the target audience of 18-34 year old moviegoing males could care less about what happened during the Reagan administration, much less World War II. "Hart's War" may just as well be a film about a POW camp during the War of 1812. Anything with Vin Diesel or the Rock would be bound to sell more tickets.
3. As far as depicting life in a POW camp, "Hart's War" is pretty much on par with "Hogan's Heroes". The Germans are nice guys with guns who don't know very much and everyone gets away with just about anything. Where did the GI's get all those cigarettes, anyway?
4. Any Stalag Luft comandant worth his weight in sauerkraut would have just as soon killed the Bruce Willis character as look at him. As depicted in "Hart's War", the camp commandant (as portrayed by Marcel Lures) would have had a very difficult time maintaining any sort of status as an officer in the German Army. His collection of American jazz/blues records is a cute writer's invention that has nothing to do with the reality of the situation, or of the type of men who were in charge of German POW camps. In reality, the Marcel Lures character would probably have been relegated to another type of nazi camp with a pink triangle sewn on the front of his tunic.
5. The storyline is not completely unbelievable - trials did take place in POW camps, one good example being the POW's who were tried and hung in Andersonville; However, the whole idea that the camp's commandant would actively participate in such a trial as sort of a Jerry Springer type advocate is ludicrous.
6. The idea that during the trial, a group of POW's who escape go on a secret mission to destroy a nearby munitions factory is insulting. Not only did nothing like this ever happen during World War II, it degrades the bravery of those poor souls whose only act of heroism was to survive internment under harsh and sometimes brutal conditions. The German army simply wasn't that stupid.
7. I saw this film once and didn't like it. I thought that maybe the second time would be better. It wasn't.
8. Beyond being sheer Hollywood political correctness, "Hart's War" seriously misrepresents many of the more important aspects of internment. It ignores the real focus of life in such a Stalag which, for most POW's, was just day to day survival. Also, the soldiers who served in our armed forces during World War II and also happened to be African Americans weren't spineless, hapless dopes.
9. Bruce Willis playing the same role in variations of "Die Hard" over and over and over again is tiring.
10. Better films about the same sort of subject matter are "The Tuskeegee Airmen" and "Stalag 17". Hopefully in a few years, "Hart's War" will be completely forgotten, and these dvd's will be rotting in some landfill.
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| Rating | | | Date | November 01, 2004 | | Summary | A twist on WW II! | Content
| I thought the movie had a great plot. The Bruce Willis role of being in charge of a POW camp in Germany. To sacifice a black American Airman for the good of an escape plot is abhorrid. The thing is I'm sure this could have some historical merit. Collin's role is quite good as he launches his investigation into the war crime. It brought up racial bigotry in a way not told too often. We talk of the atrocities of Nazi Germany, but we do the same things here --- even today. I did not think Collin's role should have pointed out the area where Allied men were after being captured before arriving at the POW Camp. Being a fan of Mr. Linus Roache, (great British thespian) was not pleased he had such a small role in this film either. He deserves better from US films. Other than the fiction of the '60s comedy Hogan's Heroes, I really doubt that things in a POW Camp in Germany, or anywhere are really that calm. If your a fan of Bruce Willis, or Collin Ferrell this would be for you. As for me being a fan of Linus Roache it left flatter than old soda. Also this was a film of merit as it delved into the subject of racism in America, and everywhere.
A modern era message here maybe, "We have No Business in Iraq," We should clean our own house first, then help other nations. |
| Rating | | | Date | October 10, 2004 | | Summary | Compelling World War II Drama | Content
| In early 2002, movie audiences were still getting acquainted Irish newcomer Colin Farrell. On the same token, they were also quite familiar with Bruce Willis' acting credentials. Putting the two of them together in a racially charged World War II drama would seem an unlikely mixture. Farrell was already establish his bad boy credentials in Hollywood and Bruce Willis, despite a recent renaissance with films like "Sixth Sense" and "Unbreakable", was still being remembered mostly as `Mr. Joe Actionhero' from movies like "Die Hard". As strange as this combination would seem, actors and story, the resulting "Hart's War" turns out to be surprisingly good film.
"Hart's War" is set in the waning months of World War II. While the Allied forces are locked in the struggle of their lives in the Battle of the Bulge, Lieutenant Thomas Hart (Farrell) remains comfortably behind the lines at headquarters, courtesy of strings pulled by his father, a United States Senator. However, one day Hart volunteers to drive an infantry captain back to the front lines and ends up a prisoner when his jeep is ambushed by Germans posing as Allied MPs. After a few days of interrogation, he is sent to a German P.O.W. camp where he is promptly billeted to bunk with the enlisted men because he was less than truthful with Colonel McNamara (Willis), the ranking U.S. P.O.W. about the information he gave up under interrogation. The routine seems to be setting in as the Hart prepares to spend the rest of the war in captivity. That is, until a few new prisoners are added to the U.S. contingent, two black pilots from the Tuskegee Airmen. Needless to say, in the still segregated U.S. Army, this does not sit well with many of the soldiers; especially a racist sergeant in Hart's barracks named Bedford (Cole Hauser). Bedford conspires to get one of the pilots executed on a trumped up charge and not long afterwards, Bedford ends up murdered, seemingly by the other pilot as revenge. Instead of ordering an immediate for execution of the second pilot, the camp Commandant (Marcel Iures) agrees to let McNamara form a military tribunal to try the case, with Hart, a law student, defending the pilot, Lt. Scott (Terrence Howard). Of course, there is more to this trial than just trying to see justice served. McNamara wants to buy time for an important plan while the German staff is distracted by the proceedings, and the entire tribunal is merely a pawn in this plan.
"Hart's War" owes a large debt to great World War II prison movie such as "Stalag 17" and "The Great Escape". Certainly, many elements are borrowed from these films. However, it's the addition of the racism angle that sets this film apart. While some will see this as a forced-upon-the-audience message, it actually fits quite well when one looks at the overall arc of the story. "Hart's War" is not meant to be a referendum on racism in the U.S. Army in that era. It simply uses that issue as a way to distract all the characters from the true mission of McNamara's (while also still managing to make a point about racism). Willis, in his role as McNamara, continues to bring the demeanor of quiet, dignified fury about him that he first put into use in "Sixth Sense". It's a strong performance, matched Farrell's nuance effort as the naïve (but learning) Tom Hart. Marcel Iures as the conflicted, manipulative commandant is also a treat to watch. While "Hart's War" won't ever been in the upper pantheon of great war films like "Patton" or "Saving Private Ryan", it is a still solid, compelling entertainment and certainly worth a watch.
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| Rating | | | Date | July 16, 2004 | | Summary | The Plot Successfully Escaped | Content
| HART'S WAR had potential. The last months of World War Two as a backdrop with demoralized GI's crammed into an overcrowded POW compound. If this picture was soley about the hardships endured by surrendered soldiers during the Battle of the Bulge, then it could have had a chance. Instead the film makers took on too many plots and subplots.
Unintentionally the movie borrows from SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE, A SOLDIER'S STORY, THE GREAT ESCAPE and STALAG 17. A cardinal rule in war films is that the premise has to be simple. In HART'S WAR we find some good elements lost in a virtual Mulligan stew.
In the story Colin Farrell's character, a rear echelon lawyer, accompanies another officer on what he thinks is a joyride. Unfortunately for Farrell, the Germans have launched their attack in the Ardennes. The young lawyer is captured, harshly interrogated, and finally shipped out to a German stalag. There he meets the senior POW officer, played by Bruce Willis, and tries to settle down in the dirty and uncomfortable life of a POW. A soldier is killed and a recently downed Tuskegee airman is accused of murder. Yes, you guessed it. Farrell takes on the aviator's defense during the subsequent courts martial.
If director Gregory Hoblit left the storyline to develop around the trial a decent film could have emerged. Instead we have additions of Colonel Hart's unexplained behavior, an mass tunnel escape plot, sabotage and the German Commandant's attempt to befriend the American lawyer as superfluous baggage.
HART'S WAR was filmed in the Czech Republic, no doubt to cut costs. A little more effort and a lot less story and this film would have had a better showing at the box office. Still, if you enjoy war movies you should probably add this DVD to your collection. |
| Rating | | | Date | June 05, 2004 | | Summary | Where's the history? | Content
| A movie based on WW2 backdrop should at least remain somewhat historical in it's context. The implausible storyline, added with a hyped up propaganda laced motif makes for one sorry flick. |
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