Directed by:
Antoine FuquaCinematography:
Mauro FioreCast:
Bruce Willis, Monica Bellucci, Cole Hauser, Eamonn Walker, Johnny Messner, Nick Chinlund, Paul Francis, Tom Skerritt, Malick Bowens, Akosua Busia, Sammi Rotibi (more)VOD (5)
Plots(1)
Loyal veteran Navy S.E.A.L. Lt. A.K. Waters (Bruce Willis) is sent into the heart of war-torn Africa on a hazardous mission to rescue Dr. Lena Hendricks (Monica Bellucci), a U.S. citizen who runs a missionary. When the beautiful doctor refuses to abandon the refugees in her care, Lt. Waters finds himself having to choose between following orders and the dictates of his own conscience. Together, they begin a dangerous trek through the deadly jungle, all the while being pursued by a rebel militia group, with only one goal in mind: to assassinate Lt. Waters' unit and the refugees in his care. (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
(more)Reviews (8)
Fugua can deliver, but here he struggles with a lousy script and half-baked dialogue. Really, the only worthwhile thing in this film is the scene of the ethnic cleansing in a Nigerian village, which is both excellently shot and makes the ignorant realise that Africa is a world where human life has no value. If the rest had been in a similar vein, this would have been a great anti-war film. As it is, it's just another useless Hollywood crap that's dull in thought, with not much action either, and a typically Hollywood clichéd ending. So, sorry, this didn’t work out.
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The biggest problem with this movie is that it pretends to be a deep drama reflecting cruel actual events in the African jungle. And though it does depict those events in a really naturalistic way (I hadn’t had such a knot in my stomach in a long time!), it seems to lack credibility due to the combination of American bombast and Bruce Willis’s famous face. Tears of the Sun can also be seen as a pure action flick that wants to be something more, but because of the slow and boring screenplay, it’s not even a satisfying action movie.
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An interesting premise, good plot setting and nice production design. On the other hand, the pathos is bordering on kitsch and the pace is very uneven. A watchable affair that only confirms that Fuqua is nothing more than a routine man without a shred of inventiveness.
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The surprise of recent times. I didn't think I'd see Bruce Willis in a good movie again, given what he's been doing for the last few years. A captivating rainforest setting, a group of elite marines, a group of Nigerian rebels on their heels, some twist and turns, amazing action, dosed sparingly but very intense, working emotions and empathy, decent pacing and gorgeous visuals. Actually, almost a full score. 85%.
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A lot of angry Bruce Willis, an unbearably wooden Monica Bellucci, the jungle, gunshots, dust, and injustice. To top it off, one big and very unbelievable twist against orders, cliches that are sometimes annoying, and an irritatingly optimistic message that hurts. All in the packaging of Hans Zimmer's surprisingly tired composition and big black-and-white peace propaganda. I occasionally quite like Antoine Fuqua, but the claim that he's really good at making empty movies has never been more true.
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At the beginning it drags on slowly and the only thing that looked any good is the surrounding jungle and Bruce Willis in camouflage kit holding a machine gun. The African jungle seemed to be asleep all the time. Where are the snakes, the spiders and other critters that could make this group’s journey a little more unpleasant? Take a look at Rescue Dawn and you’ll see what I mean. It’s all so artificial. Tears of the Sun tries to touch us with humanity and good deeds by hard guys who until now behaved like robots. And the only thing that Fuqua gave to this movie are lens filters, amazing views of African nature and a solid action ending which digs this picture up from the gray average. 3
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Too simple, flat, and in the second half also hardly believable, but Fuqua knows when the limit of pathos is exhausted and thankfully keeps the tough soldiers in check and avoids playing a hysterical drama about the redemption of hearts and the desire to help the innocent at the cost of one's own life – it can indeed be done without the drama. It is a pity for the unbelievably constructed action scenes at the end. Besides the excellent performance by Willis, the cleansing of the village and especially the portrayal of the military unit are good – their communication, behavior, actions. In one of the few war films where emphasis is placed on these attributes and it all looks highly realistic.
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A very good action film with McClane in the service of the military, but very weak as the drama with a strong humanistic message it wants to be. Monica Bellucci rolls helplessly on the ground and tries in vain to touch the inner emotions of the viewer who, mouth full of popcorn, wants only proper action and the traditionally gurgling Zimmer soundtrack. But the grimy visuals are just so naturalistic and haunting that I can't completely dislike it. 65%
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