“Hart’s War”(USA 2002) ***1/2
Directed by Gregory Hoblit
In this recent season when small budget films tackle controversial issues such as racism and exploitation (“Storytelling”), redemption (“Monster’s Ball) and guilt (“In the Bedroom”), it is good to see a Hollywood product dealing all these key topics while adding in courage, honor and sacrifice. The Hollywood film is mostly geared towards action and thoughtless entertainment often leaving the gutsy human dramas to the smaller production companies but to give credit where credit is due, entertainment occasionally arrives nicely blended with some moral lessons.
From the opening scenes (spectacularly shot by Montreal-born cinematographer Alar Kivilo) that include exciting action sequences with bodies bumped off jeeps and aerial shots of boxcar trains carrying thousands of POWs like cattle, the viewer is treated to some excellent camera work before the film settles down on one young Lt. Thomas Hart (played by 25-year old Irish actor Colin Farrell).
Once captured, taken prisoner and moved to Stalag 6A, he finds that a new personal war has to be fought in the form of the defense of a black officer, Lt. Lincoln Scott (Terence Howard) for the murder of one racist Sgt. Vic Bedford (Cole Hauser). In the process, he runs into trouble with Col. McNamara, the highest ranking POW with something nasty to conceal. The fun of it all is that the viewer is never sure where everything is leading to – and whether “Hart’s War” is a courtroom (or rather court-martial) drama, murder mystery, POW escape film or action flick. Director Hoblit manipulates his fine little film, carefully telling his story, giving forth incremental but important facts, always keeping the viewer at bay.
The film works primarily because Hoblit (“Frequency”, “Fallen” and “Primal Fear”) treats “Hart’s War” as a respectable yarn rather than trying to pass it pretentiously as the truth. The escape tunnel, how it got there, how the earth got moved (a huge problem for the inmates of the true story “The Great Escape”) and the work involved is nonchalantly dismissed.
How the POWs knew of the words POW written on the top of the boxcars, missed by the American fighter planes soaring in for an attack is another questionable point. But Hoblit moves his film efficiently (and quickly) along with an impressive attack scene or escape sequence. Hoblit’s fondness of wide-angled shots astounds the viewer with the beauty of Europe in winter (particularly the early scenes of the train running across vast expanses of land) but at the same time, it fails to emphasize the claustrophobia of the camp’s two thousand prisoners. (The film was shot in the Czech Republic.) The little bit of sentimentality at the end, with tears in the soldiers eyes and the manipulating music can be forgiven for the clever plot twists that include an unexpected climax.
Farrell’s (one of the busiest young actors today) moving, brave and bewildered Lt. Hart, innocent in a way, yet troubled with his need for redemption is balanced by Willis’ subtle and sympathetic performance as fourth generation military Col. William McNamara. The viewer is given evidence that McNamara has more up his sleeve than he lets and Willis pulls off his role nobly. The other actor standing out is Romania’s acclaimed Marcel Iures playing the part of camp commandant Col. Werner Visser with cool, calculated relish, bringing into the film some much needed wicked humor.
Though no “Bridge on the River Kwai” or “The Great Escape”, “Hart’s War” is still pretty watchable and turns out to be one of these rare dignified films – an entertaining piece with nice human touches of heroism and other respectable qualities. I viewed “Hart’s War” at a special war veteran’s preview and judging from the response of our own heroes who fought for our freedom, “Hart’s War” has their stamp of approval.
