Spring Break
"Stop Loss" is an unexpected film to be produced by MTV
By: Brad Canze
Issue date: 3/28/08 Section: Lifeline
As far as "Stop Loss" as a film goes, it's a little bit of a mess. In the first half of the film, it jumps between traditionally-shot scenes and documentary-style handicam
shots, without any real explanation for it.
The meat of the film, King and Michelle traversing the country searching for an answer, is a mess. They seem to just
be muddling along with out any real direction or goal, although one was clearly stated.
They visit Army buddies without any reason or explanation, and characters show up and
leave more on the basis of being needed for a dialogue than any sort of logical or thematic reason.
There are many shots of the two principal characters driving down a highway, but never any indication of location or timeframe.
There will be a scene with the characters in one location, and the next scene they are in another location in another state, with no explanation between the two.
The subject matter is also somewhat misrepresented. The issue of a stop loss, as the film itself informs the audience,
is one that 80 thousand soldiers have dealt with since 2001. With no specific explanation why of all those soldiers that
were called back to Iraq, this one specific soldier is any different, or what is driving him as a character to stay at home.
It feels like it happens just because it is supposed to.
Despite its effective manipulation of emotions and hard-hitting representation, "Stop Loss" is ultimately an
oversimplification of actual events, skewed to fit the filmmakers' needs.
Anybody wanting to see a movie solely for
entertainment value should stay away at all costs. Those who want to see a discussion of the issues surrounding the Iraq conflict may find this worthwhile, but the same arguments are handled more thoroughly and maturely in other movies and documentaries.
2 stars out of 5
shots, without any real explanation for it.
The meat of the film, King and Michelle traversing the country searching for an answer, is a mess. They seem to just
be muddling along with out any real direction or goal, although one was clearly stated.
They visit Army buddies without any reason or explanation, and characters show up and
leave more on the basis of being needed for a dialogue than any sort of logical or thematic reason.
There are many shots of the two principal characters driving down a highway, but never any indication of location or timeframe.
There will be a scene with the characters in one location, and the next scene they are in another location in another state, with no explanation between the two.
The subject matter is also somewhat misrepresented. The issue of a stop loss, as the film itself informs the audience,
is one that 80 thousand soldiers have dealt with since 2001. With no specific explanation why of all those soldiers that
were called back to Iraq, this one specific soldier is any different, or what is driving him as a character to stay at home.
It feels like it happens just because it is supposed to.
Despite its effective manipulation of emotions and hard-hitting representation, "Stop Loss" is ultimately an
oversimplification of actual events, skewed to fit the filmmakers' needs.
Anybody wanting to see a movie solely for
entertainment value should stay away at all costs. Those who want to see a discussion of the issues surrounding the Iraq conflict may find this worthwhile, but the same arguments are handled more thoroughly and maturely in other movies and documentaries.
2 stars out of 5
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