Reviewed By
Vaughan

Analysis
Tears of the Sun (TOTS) is not an all out military action movie and never intended to be one in the first place. It covers the grim and bloody civil war that rages within Nigeria and as such has a few very powerful and very disturbing moments that will leave one feeling uneasy. Innocent villages are violently depicted being murdered and raped at the hands of gun crazed outlaws who's sole purpose is to feed there barbaric nature. Unlike Blackhawk Down which offers the casual viewer a place to hang his hat for an hour or two, TOTS has more depth and surprisingly avoids a lot of the 'God bless America' moments that normally drip off anything with a US military stamp on it.

The story is a relatively simple one which throws in a little twist about half way in that increases the groups already dangerous and precarious position. As the SEALS escort the civilians through the jungle we can feel a heightening sense of tension as a rouge band of soldiers attempt to hunt them down by any means necessary. The night time jungle scenes from Platoon are so gripping and it is a real shame that the tension in TOTS could not have been notched up quite as high but we are treated to some really good moments that have that 'will they be spotted or won't they' feel about them and, apart from the climatic battle scene, rank as the highlight of the film.

Bruce Willis is fast becoming the master of long, thoughtful steely glares with ample opportunity in this film for close facial action as Willis crinkles his eyes and stares into the hearts of his co-actors. Willis is actually quite plausible as the hard bitten Navy Seal Lieutenant but as we have all seen so many times in the past, his acting range is limited to what is essentially a 'Die Hard in the jungle' routine. Even when he attempts to branch out into the lighter side of cinema he ends up annoying his action fans and goes on to produce what is officially described in the dictionary as a Hudson Hawk. Most other cast members take a relative back seat to Willis but the lovely Monica Bellucci manages to give a heart felt performance as Dr Kendricks and convinces the audience that she really would die for the people she has been caring for rather than leave them in the jungle.

Key Area	Rating (out of 5)	Comment
Action		An array of ferocious gun fights and explosions pepper the story to ensure that the excitement factor remains constant.
Tension		Some great moments that really get the pulse racing. Look at it like hide-and-seek in the jungle except if your found your dead. One standout moment involves the guerrillas looking around the jungle for the group just as one of the children start to cry. Gripping stuff!
Violence/ Gore		The violence is depicted in an intentionally brutal manner especially when showing what men can do when law and order breaks down. As the situations do not allow the suspension of disbelief they become all the more intense.
Bare Flesh		Brief nudity is shown as part of a harrowing rape scene.
Plot		An honest story that tries to convey the message that even in the most desolate and hopeless situations, compassion and the will to survive can conquer all.

Verdict This film has a vicious undertone that makes a few of the scenes hard to stomach and pulls no punches in it's depiction of the cruelty that occurs in many countries all over the planet. The Navy SEALS appear as a sign of hope in an other wise hopeless state of desolation and Antoine Fuqua's careful direction has ensured that the subject matter is respectfully presented not as a military action movie but as a compelling drama.........with action.

Movie Pictures (Click picture to enlarge)