(Review originally written at 18 January 2008)
It's often good and refreshing and sometimes also important to show things from another perspective but it's never a good idea to fight propaganda with propaganda, as this movie obviously tries to do. This movie is an obvious response to Hollywood portraying people from the Middle-East and of course Iraqies in particular as villains and ruthless murderous terrorist. To put it in perspective; Also when you look at American war movies during WW II, as a response to the Nazi-propaganda movies, you have to come to the conclusions that those also aren't exactly among the best movie ever made.
But all politics aside, this plain and simple just isn't a very good movie, with a bad script and actors that can't even act their way out of a paper bag.
The American's and American army-top are being portrayed like James Bond kind of villains (they even managed to put in a Mengele like American doctor, played by Gary Busey.), which is kind of weird and perhaps even a bad laughable, considering the obvious serious intentions of this movie. The American's all have itchy-trigger fingers, looking for an excuses to kill as many people as possible, by searching for an excuse under the norm of terrorism. Even if there is some truth in this, this movie just isn't the right way to fight this. This movie does not create any debates, simply because you just can't take this movie serious because of the unrealistic and over-the-top style of movie making. The movie therefore totally misses it's mark, despite its good intentions.
Billy Zane and Gary Busey are respected actors(well, till some extend they are.) and it's quite hard to understand why they ever agreed to appear in this movie. The only reason I can think off why they ever agreed to appear in this movie is because they were against the American invasion of Iraq and they appeared in this movie for moral and personal reasons. Nothing wrong with that of course and it's obvious their own choice and right to do so.
It also doesn't do the movie much good that they have a totally bad and uninteresting script. The writers obviously aren't among their best in their profession and still needs of learning to do and experience to gain with movie making. The movie has a fairly stupid and totally uninteresting main plot-line. There really isn't actually much happening ever in this movie. It actually also makes this movie a bit of a bore and drag at points to watch.
The movie is good looking though. It has good production values, despite it's fairly low budget and inexperienced people involved.
Not a terrible movie, just one that misses its mark.
5/10
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