I was in the Army stationed in Germany from 1986 through 1989 and there was a day that we called "Black Sunday" when several people on our post were discovered to have a drug ring going on. The people implicated and taken away by MPs that day included several officers. My post was known for being able to get everything from hooker to heroin ON POST! Our Sgt,. Major walked around with an ax handle tethered to his wrist because he had been jumped at night so many times! So this movie is not a joke and is very close to the truth. There was even a second lieutenant that was murdered by putting him in a wall locker and pushing it out of a third story window. There was also times when you could not walk past some buildings or windows if you were white or black depending on which window and what color you were because of racial tensions, sometimes you might be hit by a beer bottle by someone of the opposite color. This movie very closely depicts what it was like vbeing a soldier in the US Army staioned in West Germany at the end of the cold war. Hooah!
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jwintor12 February 2008
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geddyneilalex2817 March 2004i served in the army from 91-94 and i can tell you that i related to a lot of the themes in this film. i wanted anxiously for a chance to see it, and last night i finally did. i enjoyed it as much as it is possible to enjoy a film that takes some steps at telling a different side of the army. of course everyone in the army is not like the soldiers portrayed here, but some are. at no point did i get the feeling that the film tried to say that the army is filled with losers but like every other segment of society it has its share. it is also true that for a long time the army did take high school dropouts and it was used as a way to escape jail. it is not anti-american, it is a story about bad people doing bad things. i enjoyed it!
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extravaluejotter1 May 2006Without an enemy to fight, an army will fight itself or find its own enemies. In the tradition of "Sergeant Bilko" (the Phil Silvers TV show, not Steve Martin's ghastly remake) "Buffalo Soldiers" shows what happens when soldiers with nothing to do but wait for war begin to think for themselves and exploit the system.
In place of Bilko's poker games and lottery scams, Ray Elwood opts for black marketeering, drug dealing and gun running. However, the characters portrayed by Phil Silvers and Joaquin Phoenix respectively do have a lot in common.
The tone of "Buffalo Soldiers" is much darker than that of "Sergeant Bilko", but the film and TV series share the same absurd yet plausible vision. There are no chimpanzee conscripts like Private Harry Speakup in this movie, but there ARE characters who have clearly risen well above the level of their own incompetence. Ed Harris' Colonel Berman is a pathetic example of the uniformed, time-served bureaucrat, someone you could almost feel sorry for until you realise that one day he may have to lead men into combat.
Counterbalancing the Bilko-esquire vibe created by Elwood's wheeler-dealing is his nemesis, Scott Glenn's steely Sergeant Lee. Glenn clearly relishes his role in this movie and is very convincing as the model soldier with a true heart of darkness.
Joaquin Phoenix gives Elwood an understated charisma as he leads his troops from behind, rarely lifting the lid on the fear and frustration that simmers within him as the events he sets in motion go out of control.
To say that this film is anti-military is unfair as it contains portrayals of decent, honest and professional soldiers as well as the scammers, pimps and dopeheads that the plot focuses on. It is a film about human beings (with all their failings) in uniform, not soldiers. "Buffalo Soldiers" is anti-complacency, anti-indoctrination and anti-corruption, which is probably why its release was postponed after the September 11th terrorist outrage of 2001. In the light of recent despicable acts by a small group of US soldiers in Iraq's Abu Graib prison, this film seems eerily prescient. Without an enemy to fight in open combat, what happens to the aggression and contempt for that enemy that military training fosters?
Ignore the negative comments and give this under-rated film a chance. It was titled "Army Go Home" in Germany, where the film is set, echoing the feelings of German citizens who lived near foreign troops sent to defend them against Communism. The Beetle-crushing sequence (an absurdly comic high point of the film) is based on actual incidents involving bored, intoxicated British and American troops on manoeuvres, armed to the teeth and waiting for a war that never came. -
Some films just suffer from bad luck, and `Buffalo Soldiers' is one of them. Not that the movie is all that bad, nor all that terrific; it just deals with a subject that Americans might not be comfortable about today: a less-than-glowing depiction of the American military.
The film made its debut at the Toronto Film Festival, three days before Sept 11, 2001, under great fanfare. It was billed as being a dark satirical look at the military, but after the attacks on 9/11, its future was buried. Now, almost two years later, `Buffalo Soldiers' is finally being released, but it's not clear that the climate will be any more accommodating.
The movie starts by presenting a criminal subculture operating among U.S. soldiers stationed in West Germany just before the fall of the Berlin wall. The satirical billing is merely a backdrop for the film, and it does present just about everyone rather hyperbolically. Joaquin Phoenix plays Ray Elwood, a la Radar O'Reilly from MASH. He is the company clerk for a U.S. supply base, making most decisions for his oblivious colonel to rubber stamp. Like Milo Minderbinder from Catch-22, he goes about his normal routine of making money and duping the system, but in this case, Elwood is a small-time drug dealer who sometimes dabbles in black market booty. Things turn on him quickly when he happens across some heavy weaponry, and his plan for unloading the equipment puts him way over his head, getting him into far more trouble than what he can handle as the lightweight and inexperienced paper-pusher that he is. By the time the plot line is established, the backdrop of satire is abandoned, witty observations undone, and philosophical quips erased.
Indeed, the true essence of the film lies beyond the plot, but it doesn't go as far as it tagline philosophy: `Where there is peace, the warlike man attacks himself.', a quote from Nietzsche, whose keen observation was the original inspiration for the film. At most, `Buffalo Soldiers' depicts how people behave when they get in over their heads, and only a dash of commentary on anything military or philosophical.
As for the controversy around American soldiers doing bad things, it would be a stretch to feel this is commentary on the good ol' US of A. Only those looking to pick a fight would find any form of offense or unpatriotic flavor to this film. Still, all one has to do is suggest the notion, and people will simply adopt that view anyway, regardless of what's on screen. Ironically, that's the movie's fault, not the public's. If the movie were better at delivering a more profound message - one that it clearly wanted to make - or if the story line were multi-dimensional, rather than a straightforward crime caper, people would easily overlook its superficial qualities. To be sure, Joaquin Phoenix does an excellent job at portraying a frat boy who doesn't take the army seriously, and who learns the ropes the hard way, just before he gets busted down to hell.
In the end, `Buffalo Solders' is entertaining, has a splash of romance, and is certainly a good enough movie in its own right, but is not the cynical, anti-war, anti-patriotic movie that people will be told it is. Oddly, the film's perception may be disproportionately diminished and reviewed poorly because of the attention it's getting, but it doesn't deserve undue praise either. -
ma-cortes13 February 2006The movie deals with an US corporal (Joaquin Phoenix) whose slogan is ¨steal all that you can steal¨ . He has moneymaking plans for every occasion in the United States headquarter located in Germany during George Bush Sr time . His superior Colonel (Ed Harris) looks the other way until a new and veteran sergeant (Scott Glenn) turns up , but the corporal falls in love with his daughter (Anna Paquin) and the sergeant seeks vengeance .
The film is a ferocious and hilarious military critical , it's an anti-army and anti-war/protest black-comedy which follows exploits of a woolly and wild US unit ; being based on the 1993 novel by Robert O'Connor . Ironical recycling of the classic 1950s Television comedy series which was interpreted by Phil Silvers and ¨Sgt. Bilko¨ film by Jonathan Lynn with Steve Martin . Movie characters are utterly negatives , they are mean , greedy , villains or nuts and aren't politically corrects . Spectacular images when appear the tanks , these American tanks featured in the film are actually modified German L1 Leopards . The forest where the tank drives through was planted just for this movie on a green field in front of a real forest , though he tanks were not allowed to drive through the real forest .
Here Joaquin Phoenix plays a top-notch farceur and he is assembled by a perfect support casting such as Leon , Harris , Gabriel Mann , Dean Stockwell and Elizabeth McGovern . The picture obtained moderated success , giving a new meaning on the word 'irreverence' and really fierce criticism to Army institution . None relation to the film with same title ¨Buffalo soldiers¨ (1997) directed by Charles Haid with Danny Glover about post-civil war black cavalry corps . The motion picture was well directed Gregor Jordan . Rating : Good . Well worth seeing. -
SnoopyStyle29 November 2015It's 1989 Stuttgart, W Germany. Specialist Ray Elwood (Joaquin Phoenix) is a schemer in the 317th Supply Battalion on Theodore Roosevelt US Army Base. As many soldiers at the time, he was given a choice between jail and the Army. He sells Army supplies to the black market. He cooks heroine as a middle man. His commander Colonel Berman (Ed Harris) is clueless. He sleeps with Berman's wife (Elizabeth McGovern). When drugged up tankers destroy a gas station killing two truck drivers, Elwood takes advantage by stealing the weapons in the trucks. Then a new Top Sergeant Lee (Scott Glenn) arrives and he zeros in on Elwood. Elwood tries to get back at him by dating his daughter Robyn Lee (Anna Paquin).
This is an outlandish black comedy. For the first half, I was rooting against Elwood. It could be more fun if Elwood is a funnier character. Joaquin has a dead-pan delivery. This movie could be funnier. However, it's a good satirical poke at the military. Despite a couple of questionable moments with Robyn, the supporting actors are all great. I like the spiraling chaos around Elwood and what happens to him in the crazy ending. -
callumkirk8127 January 2021Underrated "Joaquin Phoenix" movie directed by "Gregor Jordan". Im not to familiar with "Jordan's" work and I feel this one kinda went under the radar. "Joaquin's" performance really carry's the movie and the supporting cast make the story believable as the movie is based on actual events that took place in the US army during the 80s. Much like "Joaquin's" role in "Gladiator" the character is a dodgy sort but it's played in such a way that you almost root for the success of his evil ways. It's got something for everyone, comedy, bit of action and romance, just an great watch overall. Definitely worth a watch!
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The movie was fairly charming, but ultimately the filmmakers couldn't reconcile the satirical tone of the comedy portions with the more standard drug story tone.
Joaquin Phoenix is at his best when he isn't speaking, but lots of his lines were flat or inaudible. Anna Paquin was just plain weird, I can't explain it. She seemed like she was trying to be very intense but she wasn't particularly good. It almost seemed like she was on cocaine or something.
Ed Harris and Scott Glenn were both very good. It was fun to see Ed Harris in this type of comic role.
I ended up feeling like this material probably worked well in the book (haven't read it) because novels seem to be more amenable to having comedy side-by-side with action. Movies are fine for blending the two, but when they don't synthesize the disparate tones they just seem like they don't know what they want to be when they grow up.
All in all it's more interesting than a lot of movies, but it misses the mark. -
Dorthonion7 December 2001It might not be politically correct right now, but this very good indie pic with a stellar cast about a US Army soldier stationed in the West Germany of 1989 comes at the right time. Having served on an Army base for years I know this is very close to what it is actually like being there. Phoenix makes you care about his "evil" character Ray Elwood much the way he did the same in "Gladiator", and Ed Harris as well as Scott Glenn deliver top notch performances. Very well edited, cynical-yet-funny, with a good story and believable characters. Recommended, two thumbs up!
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gnubunny8 May 2005I am currently serving in the US Army, and I can say with out a doubt that this is a very good movie. The acting in my opinion is very believable, although the story is hard to swallow. But the actors portrayed very believable soldiers, some of the characters in the movie act a lot like some of my buddies in my platoon. And the top, hell, he acts and talks and even looks like my 1st Sgt. This movie is very believable in the sense that it looks and feels real. I maybe nit picking, but one thing that bothers me about any movie concerning the US Army is if they get things right, like uniforms, equipment etc etc and well this at least to me seems so spot on, it makes me wonder if we gave support to this movie via technical, and equipment.
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mentalcritic28 October 2004Well, in reality, I suspect the story behind Buffalo Soldiers has picked up a bit of embellishment along the way from modern folklore to big screen, but that's hardly surprising. What is surprising is that such a basic story can be turned into such a funny film. It's not so much ha-ha funny as it is just ironic funny. Indeed, the story about one woman screaming protests about the so-called anti-American sentiment of the film and flinging a bottle at the screen tells me that some people still expect their comedy to be spoonfed to them.
If anything, this film reads like a celebration of the things that the citizens of Western societies take for granted. With soldiers situated far from home, and having nothing better to do than play games of indoor gridiron at times, it's a small wonder that soldiers turn to drug abuse or other such illegal activity in order to stave off boredom. Stir craziness is a problem in any army during peacetime, although one can't help but wonder if we're not being shown a rather extreme example here.
The basis of this black comedy is in the solid performances of the principal cast. Joaquin Phoenix shows once again that he has a great talent, while Ed Harris and Scott Glenn do an admirable job of playing the straight arrows. But it is another moderated little-girl-lost type of performance from the ever-wonderful Anna Paquin that at least kept this viewer engaged. This woman could make a ninety minute film in which she reads the telephone book, and I'd probably enjoy it.
The corruption shown in this film is hardly surprising, given how little soldiers seem to be paid in comparison to the stress they endure. If there is indeed any truth to the depicitions of drug abuse, then it's not surprising anymore that employers are currently employing random drug testing. Dr. Strangelove couldn't get more spot-on about how the human element of the military is generally its undoing. After one memorable sequence involving drugged tank drivers, I'll never be able to catch sight of an army vehicle without getting the urge to run away, screaming.
I gave Buffalo Soldiers an eight out of ten. Under normal circumstances, I would have given it a seven, but it has Anna Paquin in it, and any film with Anna Paquin in it can earn a bonus point. If you like your comedy without obvious prompts of when you're meant to laugh, then you can't go wrong with Buffalo Soldiers. -
Lupercali28 May 2004After his ripsnorting Australian made classic 'Two Hands', Gregor Jordan turns to military satire and black comedy in the tradition of 'Mash' and 'Catch 22'. Unfortunately, despite being quite a classy flick, it isn't in anywhere the same league as those movies, or, I might add, of 'Two Hands'.
A bunch of American soldiers stationed in Germany just prior to the fall of The Berlin Wall act like out of control frat guys, cook and sell heroin, drive around stoned in tanks and generally behave with a total lack of morality. A hard-arsed new sergeant turns up and what develops is a personal war between him and Joaquin Phoenix; the nominal leader of the frat bunch.
Despite being well acted, and genuinely funny in a few places, the film really isn't deep, just entertaining. Well worth a watch, but comparisons to M*A*S*H* are just silly. -
perrymarlin14 July 2003I kick myself for watching trash like this. It is sad that a major hollywood studio would release something that insults and reflects poorly on American armed forces. I'm a veteran and found the movie to be not funny and just another hollywood lie.
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bob the moo1 January 2004Ray Elwood is a soldier stationed on a base in West Germany. With no war to fight the men become bored but Elwood has enough going on the side to keep him busy, whether selling off excess cleaning supplies or dealing drugs. When he lands two trucks worth of weapons he thinks his day has come, however at the same time a tough new officer, Sergeant Lee, is stationed on the base with the aim of cleaning it up - starting with Elwood dealings.
Of course, we all know that this film practically vanished after 9/11; suddenly America didn't want anything that seemed to be attacking America or the dedicated American soldier. This was unfortunate as the film isn't as blatantly anti-war or anti-American as I had been led to believe. Rather it is a dark comedy that looks at the reality of army life during peacetime. In fairness though it does show the soldiers out for cash, high on drugs and certainly not fitting the image that made Time magazine pick `the American soldier' as man of the year for 2003.
The basic plot makes MASH look like some sort of kids game - where Hawk-Eye made drink in his tent, Elwood cooks coke and deals in stolen weapons. The story works quite well although some of it didn't totally work and some of the characters and action didn't really make sense. It was amusing without being laugh out loud funny, although this wasn't so much of a problem as I certainly didn't expect it to be an out and out comedy. The drama works better than the comedy and it is for this reason it is a better attack on the ideal of the military. The upper levels of the military also take a knock; being shown as focused on rank climbing rather than keeping a sharp military machine well oiled!
The cast is good on the whole - both on paper and on the screen. Phoenix leads the film really well and delivers a likeable character that is still abhorrent enough to be seen as an attack rather than a spoof. Harris is OK but he only has a small role and it doesn't totally fit in with the main narrative very well - likewise McGovern. Pacquin is pretty cool but her character was a bit of a mystery to me but Glenn is well cast and he is able to deliver the goods in a borderline nuts character; only problem with his performance was that I didn't totally understand his character's aims by the end of the film. Both Leon and Pena were good in support and Dean Stockwell has an OK cameo.
Overall this was a good film despite the fact that it had a plot that was a little weakened by the side issues and characters who aren't totally clear in terms of what they're all about. Aside from this the film is pretty entertaining and is actually quite matter of fact in it's portrayal of military life rather than being scathing - coming from Northern Ireland, I have seen all sorts of stuff done by squaddies and am well aware of how true this can be! But to label it anti-American is just plain daft! -
jack785511 April 2005This is a very strange movie, and the three year tour in Germany in the late 70s combined with my father's immediate post war stories, make me feel that little in this movie was unbelievable. Parts may have been grossly exaggerated, but as an acquaintance said recently, "In Germany, it could happen". I guess there has always been a somewhat uneasy relationship between the Germans and the US Army. Saying that the Old Army (pre 1980) was a bunch of choir boys would be a lie. We were a bunch of hard living individuals and the terrible exchange rate there really did lead to certain activities. The army has changed a lot since then, when I first joined we were looked down upon by civilians, now your treated like some hero. A sequel would be difficult to believe, a prequel on the other hand could make this look like a Kindergarten movie
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erolboran25 November 2009Well acted, part farce, part all too real, I guess. It did remind me somewhat of my youth growing up in a small town in Northern Bavaria which most prominently featured three US Army bases. "The boys" basically did whatever they wanted and behaved like complete jerks when they came to town - they were outside German jurisdiction, so only the MPs could do anything to stop them, if they so chose. Very appropriately, Germans don't even appear in that movie, even though it is set in Germany. The Americans simply created their "US of A" in the middle of Germany, just another colonial episode. That part comes across quite well in the movie - even though I realize that that's not its main theme by far...
Buffalo Soldiers refers to African-American soldiers fighting Native Americans in the 19th century; it later became a generic term for all African-American Soldiers. To apply the term to US soldiers stationed in Germany occupied in rogue activities (drug traffic) just before Reunification adds a curious dimension to the film. (I'm not entirely sure I get the connection or reference.) I find it hilarious how ignorant the soldiers are about what's happening all around them: The Cold War is ending, and they don't even know if they're in East or West Germany. Disorientation, not just drug-induced. Well acted by Joaquin Phoenix and Ed Harris. -
henhent13 January 2004This is really a very daring film as it does not shy away from telling it as it is in the military. I think that the boredom of duty can lead to the types of activities in the film. I think that the script is tight and the look of the film is terrific
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johnnyboyz21 July 2004Buffalo Soldiers is an extremely funny film that can also be very serious at the same time, both times managing to be thoroughly entertaining. From driving a tank completely stoned to the way the announcement of a fellow soldier has died within the base and the hilarious way the excuse for his death is completely made up are two very good examples of how bizarre this film is and how the army is mocked in this film.
It also takes quite a clever approach in making the film slightly multi-strand, entwining events to the lives of different soldiers in and around the base. The way the 'unfortunate' tank journey accidentally leaves two trucks isolated only for three other characters to come round the corner shortly afterwards in a different vehicle and pick up on these isolated trucks, after the tank had already left. There is also the matter of the way Col. Berman(Superbly played by Ed Harris) wants to keep biting back at another character through jealousy and how that creates another little subplot itself; it's all very good.
I recommend you see this film, as you will thoroughly enjoy it. It ISN'T a war film, merely a comic look at the army and how they supposedly coped with the peace keeping of the Berlin wall in its last days.
Hell, you may even LEARN something about the Cold War......... -
American directors tend to glorify their war movies by adding a lot of heroism and false American nationalism. Buffalo Soldiers is a nice change on these kind of movies. It tells the story of a group of American soldiers so thoroughly bored that they kill time by smuggling drugs, drinking booze and fighting each other. It kinda reminds me of my father's stories of his short yet turbulent time in the army. He keeps on telling about all the wrong things they did to have a bit of fun in their forced presence in these days.
The movie doesn't really have a grand message to deliver to its audience, but it is most definitely good for a few laughs. And Joaquin Phoenix shows a bit of the strong charisma he has in store for us in later movies ( Walk the line- the Johnny Cash biography- as his strongest one ) -
MagicStarfire15 April 2006There's something wrong when the villains are more likable than the ones who are supposed to be the good guys.
Makes me wonder what kind of message these type of films are sending.
The only likable good guy was dorky Knoll, Elwood's roomie, and even THAT was questionable.
The story mainly revolves around the very handsome Joaquin Phoenix's character, Ray Elwood, who is a real rascal.
It seems some criminals were given the choice of doing time in prison or doing time in the army. Those that chose the army have now been stationed in Berlin, where to no big surprise they're doing - guess what - criminal activity.
Elwood, a previous car thief, has a pretty sweet little set-up. His officer, played by Ed Harris, is so dumb he hasn't a clue what's going on. Elwood is in supply so he's able to order extra things and then sell them on the black market.
As a result Elwood's driving a black Mercedes, and has his room fixed up like a hotel suite.
Then comes the fly in the ointment - he gets a new top - Sgt. Lee - tough as nails and mean as a snake.
Tensions build when Elwood decides to date Sgt. Lee's daughter and ends up liking her for herself and vice versa.
It's "war" between Sgt. Lee and Elwood, along with some other adversaries Elwood's got on his hands - when he decides to go for a bigger black market deal then he's ever done before.
7 stars out of 10. -
finnigan218 January 2004It's hard to escape the belief that the target of this politically inspired hit piece was not so much the military brass who were portrayed as mostly well intentioned but ineffective fools, but rather the completely degenerate sub culture which is shown as being pervasive throughout the "other ranks". In my opinion, the movie reflects the scorn and even hate with which certain liberal segments of US society have for what they view as the largely right wing "military culture". Incidents in the movie are so over the top and out of touch with reality that any satiric element is squeezed out by the unbelievability of the situations presented. Phoenix sleep walks through the carnage, betraying little if any emotion or motivation and reads his lines with almost a deadpan expression so we really don't care about him , his fate and ultimately the films satiric message he is supposed to convey. The film had the misfortune to be released in 2001, around the time of 9/11 when the public woke up to realize that they had suddenly fallen in love with the military. The films message then lost a receptive audience and became down right unfashionable and even politically incorrect. This might account for it's long delay until 2004 before it was felt by the films producers that it could safely be issued as a DVD rental.
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jotix10027 October 2004This movie packs a lot of punch as it reveals how a mighty army might be undermined by those that are there to serve and protect. It's a sad commentary on the reality of the times we are living.
Gregor Jordan, an Australian director gives a great account of what happens in a US Army base in Germany when unscrupulous soldiers do anything to supplement their meager incomes by stealing things from the supply department for profit. It is a moral tale that is told as a black comedy.
Mr. Jordan has extracted a splendid performance out of Joaquin Phoenix, an actor that has not played up to his full potential in the movies. He is an excellent actor, make no mistake. His choice of material might not have been the greatest. He shines as Roy Elwood, the corrupt supply soldier who knows how to flatter the ego of Colonel Berman, the base commander, as well as satisfying Mrs. Berman in bed.
Equally fabulous is Scott Glenn, as Sargeant Lee, who sees right through Elwood and his associates what they are doing to the Army. Sgt. Lee is the man who can potentially bring Elwood to justice and unmask his clandestine activities. He also has a daughter who falls for Elwood; he is at a loss because he can't do anything to get the girl away from this evil man.
Anna Paquin, as Robyn, is also good as the army brat who will do anything to bring pain to her father. Obviously, not everything is well between Sgt. Lee and Robyn. Ed Harris, as Col. Berman, is a man that has no clue of what's going right in front of his nose. He is more interested in what he will do after his army career than in anything else. This is a shorter but effective role that Mr. Harris can add to his distinguished career.
The irony of this tale is that some things, the more they change, the more they stay the same, as we watch in disbelief the final scenes of the movie. -
Doylenf2 November 2006JOAQUIN PHOENIX stars in this independent feature that was denied distribution in the U.S. shortly after 9/11 happened since it's a rather anti-military look at shenanigans among enlisted men at a U.S. Army camp in the peacetime Germany of 1989. Phoenix is an army corporal involved in a lot heavier black market stuff than Sgt. Bilko ever was, and to call this a comedy is rather a stretch, although there are patches of dark humor in what some here are calling a black comedy.
The comedy is strictly in some of the situations which get totally out of control when boredom sets in and the soldiers get drunk while on duty during maneuvers with a tank. The first half has some amusing incidents but once the new top Sgt. Lee takes over from the clueless Col. Berman, things take a darker turn. It seems the corporal has been deliberately tweaking Sgt. Lee by dating Lee's daughter right under his nose. This is where the film changes course as Lee decides to wreak revenge on the corporal in the most humiliating ways, even ordering a daybreak target practice to destroy the corporal's luxurious car.
It's the heroin operation that seems really contrived with all sorts of mayhem breaking out when various factions are pitted against each other. A blazing fireworks of a climax has Phoenix and SCOTT GLENN engaged in a life and death struggle that leads to the film's rather ironic ending that lets us know that Phoenix will continue his thieving ways in the army under a new commanding officer.
Not bad, but really not a flattering glimpse of U.S. Army life. There are some laughable moments but the latter half of the film is distinctly geared toward the dark side. Phoenix plays it straight all the way through, charming enough in a rascally sort of way but never giving the material the light touch that it seems to need.
As Leonard Maltin observed: "Not bad as black comedy...but grows increasingly unpleasant as story unfolds." -
thirteenthfloorelevator21 February 2006Buffalo Soldiers is consistently entertaining, but the biggest problem within is that it can't work out whether it is meant to be a satire or a proper comedy. At times it is funny, but at other times awful events are meant to be played for laughs, which left me feeling very uncomfortable. Phoenix is well cast and he certainly gives a great performance, which leaves me confused as to how he could have accepted a crappy role in The Village after this. The supporting cast are good, but the whole film feels terribly uneven and I can't work out what the director is trying to tell us. Does he intend for this film to a satire about contemporary politics? If so, he does not explore all the possible satirical opportunities he could, and at times I am left just wondering where on earth the film is meant to be going.