A modest feature with simple aims, Tigerland hits the heart through great performances from a group of unknowns, thoughtful cinematography, and sustained emotional intensity.
Tigerland (2000)
Tomatometer
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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
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.
Schumacher strips down his story and style until he has nothing left but bare-bones storytelling.
Schumacher lucks out with a largely unknown cast of awesome performers.
...after the effective buildup, the resolution is a letdown. It seems pat, formulaic, and anticlimactic...
Beyond the excellence of the young actors, however, the film offers little we haven’t seen before.
Farrell holds the film together as the one element that sets this a notch above the average military drama.
A beautifully crafted, brilliantly acted and gently moving film that only occasionally lapses into sentimentality.
Tigerland still comes off as a serious, relatively honest story about the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War era
At best, Tigerland is not much more than a low-rated, cable-channel movie-of-the-week that should be channel-surfed right on by.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 86% 86% | A Christmas Tale |
| 60% 60% | Paper Heart |
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