Schumacher borrows the best elements of other wartime movies.
Tigerland (2000)
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Reviews Counted:42
Fresh:32
Rotten:10
Average Rating:7/10
Consensus: A great cast and the gritty feel of the film help elevate Tigerland above the familiarity of the subject matter.
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: Set in 1971, when America was a nation divided over the escalating violence and bloodshed of the Vietnam War, TIGERLAND begins when thousands of young soldiers had already lost their lives to the... Set in 1971, when America was a nation divided over the escalating violence and bloodshed of the Vietnam War, TIGERLAND begins when thousands of young soldiers had already lost their lives to the war, and thousands more were preparing to enter combat. In Fort Polk, Louisiana, a group of young soldiers-in-training has conflicting opinions about the war. Jim Paxton (Matthew Davis) is an idealistic romantic who sees Vietnam as potential inspiration for future novels and romantic war stories. Roland Bozz (Colin Farrell) is a rebellious antihero who decides that he wants no part of the army or the war and begins to disobey orders, trying to get expelled from the infantry. Paxton and Bozz become leaders to a small group of young draftees, and Bozz inspires them to question authority. As they enter Tigerland--a training process in which the soldiers simulate combat in the Louisiana wilderness--the men begin to realize just how far they will go to stay out of the war. This gritty, documentary-like vision of the war is engaging and incredibly moving, employing natural lighting, handheld cameras, and realistic dialogue to encapsulate the deeply internalized psychological journeys of the characters. Irishman Farrell gives a breakout performance as Bozz, replete with intense charisma and brooding outlaw heroism. [More]
Starring: Colin Farrell, Matt Davis, Shea Whigham, Clifton Collins
Starring: Colin Farrell, Matt Davis, Shea Whigham, Clifton Collins, Russell Richardson, Tom Guiry, Cole Hauser
Director: Joel Schumacher
Director: Joel Schumacher
Screenwriter: Michael McGruther, Ross Klaven
Producer: Arnon Milchan, Beau Flynn, Steven M. Haft
Composer: Nathan Larson
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Reviews for Tigerland
A beautifully crafted, brilliantly acted and gently moving film that only occasionally lapses into sentimentality.
Despite his usual ability to spend more time on set design than he does on actors, Schumacher handles the more intimate setting with great skill.
Still, Schumacher's jarring footage -- refer to the quasi-docudrama war picture 84 Charlie MoPic -- and the solid acting save Tigerland from its clawless familiarity.
Farrell holds the film together as the one element that sets this a notch above the average military drama.
Schumacher relies on an understated documentary style, largely using handheld cameras and seemingly improvised scenarios.
It certainly overcomes and surpasses the unwatchable staleness of Schumacher's last several films.
Tigerland still comes off as a serious, relatively honest story about the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War era
...never quite catches fire or becomes the searing expose that director Schumacher intended.
For those who don't mind being challenged, however, and are curious to see why Farrell is being touted as the next big thing, Tigerland has its rewards.
This take on Vietnam War doesn't break new thematic ground but it's Schumacher's best film since the 1993 Falling Down, and it showcases the talents of newcomer Colin Farrell, who has everything that it takes to become a major Hollywood star
Schumacher lucks out with a largely unknown cast of awesome performers.
One of its writers, Ross Klavan, based the screenplay on his own experience, and it's his approach that makes the film worth talking about.
Schumacher strips down his story and style until he has nothing left but bare-bones storytelling.
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