Caveat: I saw this movie at least ten years ago.
Most folks are right about this film. Tired plot and strained character development despite some very good performances. So why am I writing my comments here? Because what sticks in the brain with this movie is not the plot, but the camaraderie. Not the standard prison barracks/exercise yard type, but a rather unique form that takes shape when the men march to an extremely soulful version of "Chain Gang."
But it has more than soul. It has "Cadence." Weirdly, the men keeping lock step with this is oddly counter-soul. Their march is a metaphor for some parts of the film, but a sure thing was missed by not exploiting this aspect further. What emerged as the main plot in this film would have made a fine subplot, but it wasn't enough to carry it into being very, very good.
No, the brilliance here is in the memorable (and haunting) marching footage, with the soloist tenor lending tenderness to the sing-song soldier cadence and the clomp-clomp-clomp of marching boots, and the stagger-step "fill" where each soldier, as one, does a double step and strikes his breastbone. It's like some uber-military statement and yet it is actually done in defiance.
Enough to carry a film? Not at all. Worth seeing, though? Absolutely, if you like strong film elements that stay with you for a long, long time.
-- TGR
Most folks are right about this film. Tired plot and strained character development despite some very good performances. So why am I writing my comments here? Because what sticks in the brain with this movie is not the plot, but the camaraderie. Not the standard prison barracks/exercise yard type, but a rather unique form that takes shape when the men march to an extremely soulful version of "Chain Gang."
But it has more than soul. It has "Cadence." Weirdly, the men keeping lock step with this is oddly counter-soul. Their march is a metaphor for some parts of the film, but a sure thing was missed by not exploiting this aspect further. What emerged as the main plot in this film would have made a fine subplot, but it wasn't enough to carry it into being very, very good.
No, the brilliance here is in the memorable (and haunting) marching footage, with the soloist tenor lending tenderness to the sing-song soldier cadence and the clomp-clomp-clomp of marching boots, and the stagger-step "fill" where each soldier, as one, does a double step and strikes his breastbone. It's like some uber-military statement and yet it is actually done in defiance.
Enough to carry a film? Not at all. Worth seeing, though? Absolutely, if you like strong film elements that stay with you for a long, long time.
-- TGR
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