Paramount Pictures and MTV Films present an R rated, war drama directed by Kimberly Pierce and starring Ryan Phillippe (Brandon King), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Tommy Burgess), Rob Brown (Isaac Butler), Channing Tatum (Steve Shriver), Victor Rasuk (Rico Rodriguez), Terry Quay (Al 'Preacher' Colson), Matthew Scott Wilcox (Harvey), Connett Brewer (Curtis), Timothy Olyphant (Lt. Col. Boot Miller), Josef Sommer (Senator Orton Worrell), Linda Emond (Ida King), Ciaran Hinds (Roy King), Mamie Gummer (Jeanie), Abbie Cornish (Michelle), Alex Frost (Shorty) with a cast of extras.
Several soldiers on tour in Tikrit Iraq not only are there to serve and protect but also share in a bond of brotherhood. Brandon their team leader calls the shots, literally. When a car attacks their check point with open fire, Brandon and his squad pursue the vehicle straight into an ambush, killing foreign rebels along with women and children. In a fierce shoot out between the two groups, Brandon and his best friend, Steve, experience the deaths of several fallen brothers. Memories that will haunt them, never forgetting the horrific moments that took place, taking their lives.
While on leave back in Texas, Brandon revisits his past along with his present, his mother and father and his friends while receiving a purple heart and bronze star along with a pat on the back from their Senator for his heroic acts in war . While Steve takes the time to spend with his fiancé and Tommy with his wife. All seems to be falling back into a norm for the men but flashbacks haunt their dreams, their thoughts causing them both mental and physical anguish. Affecting not only their lives but everyone that surrounds them on a daily basis. The story portrayed depicts scenes of combat but it is the effects of the war on these young men that the director focuses her attention on. Some run from the war to Mexico or Canada, some dig holes so deep that they cannot get out, some return willingly, some find alcohol, some commit suicide and some are forced back to fight due to a stop loss clause ordered by the Commander in Chief, our President.
These men were at the end of their tour ready to try and return to life with their families. "Stop Loss" cancels a soldiers contract sending them willing or not back to war due to a shortage of new soldiers and no draft creating ultimately a back door draft. Brandon, not willing to return, not out of fear but ethics goes AWOL and flees with the help of Steve's fiancé, Michelle. They try to find help from the government he protects who in turn will not support someone on the run even though rightfully it was the end of their tour until "Stop Loss".
This film dramatically and intensely reveals the effects of war on self, family and friends. Showing the loss on foreign soils and the heart felt depictions of injured boys not quite men as they return to America with loss of limbs, hearing, sight and for some unanswered questions of why! At times the film seems a bit like a PSA against war. Are our soldiers there as a payback to 9-11? As portrayed in this film, over in Iraq war means nothing and many soldiers are done with killing and slaughter but our government makes it impossible for them to leave.
The film brought back a personal moment for me. While at one of the young men's funerals they played taps with a 21 gun salute. It was hard for me to watch this moment since it brought back flashbacks to just two weeks ago when my siblings and I buried my father in that exact same manner. We honor our dead soldiers who have died protecting our country but do we honor their lives for surviving both mentally and physically the toll war has taken on them and their loved ones. In the final scene of the film it is the heart break reflected in a mothers eyes, the strength of a fathers pride, the tears of a lover that fulfill the soul of a brave soldier that tests the limits of love and value of honor. So far according to statistics 650,000 soldiers have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan and 81,000 have experienced "Stop Loss" and that's not including the soldiers of 2007.
The film is a must see for those not aware of the effects of war on a person, friends and family, even though some may believe it is strongly depicting an anti-war message. It is truly one thing to fight but it is important to know exactly what our loved ones are fighting for! Phillippe was excellent in this film making every moment believable with a touch of vulnerability especially during an alley fight with some local thugs. Tatum, an attractive new comer to the big screen still has some growing up to do in order to fulfill the shoes of such a dramatic role. Gordon-Levitt a casualty of the effects of war and alcohol was convincing and complementary to his fellow actors but somewhat forgettable in many scenes. Cornish, a new face in my book tends to grow on you as the film moves forward. The score is quite alternative to compliment a head banging depiction of war on life and the writing was well executed. The movie audience will not get lost during the story line since it is pretty cut and dry but at times may get a bit depressed due to the somewhat drawn out plot. Overall though thanks to Phillippe this film is worth seeing on the big screen, albeit though it may find a bigger shelf life on DVD.
Reporting for Talkin' Pets, I'm Jon Patch.