Hart's War Review

Despite what you might expect from a movie called "Hart's War" that has Bruce Willis' face staring down at you from the poster, this is not a kick arse World War Two action movie with Willis in familiar "Die Hard" mode: in fact he doesn't even play the eponymous Hart! That role goes to up & coming Irish actor Colin Farrell, previously seen in Joel Scumacher's critically acclaimed soldiers-in-training movie "Tigerland," and soon to be seen opposite Tom Cruise in Spielberg's sci-fi thriller "The Minority Report." He plays First Lieutenant Thomas Hart, a law student and Senator's son from a privileged upbringing who is captured during World War Two and subsequently shipped off to a German Prisoner of War camp. There he is brutally interrogated and caves in, much to the disgust of the US commanding officer (Willis) who consequently has him move into a barracks with the enlisted men. However Hart sees a way of redeeming himself when he is appointed as defence attorney to a Black US officer charged with the murder of another black soldier, with Bruce Willis' overseeing the court martial.

"Hart's War" is an ambitious film that sets out to make some valid points about the innate racism of an army that let black men fight for a country that, in turn, treated them as second class citizens. However it doesn't quite work. While it's admirable for Bruce Willis to take on so dramatic a role its unfortunate that he is simply miscast and not up to it. However Farrell shows once again why he is so popular in Hollywood at the moment, the film has a few surprises and and certainly looks great. Don't expect too much from this worthy popcorn fodder and you wont go home too disappointed.