Redacted: A Review

11/17/07 | Sean Finnegan

[nunya bidness]

Lenin said, “For us the most important of all arts is the cinema,” and it would appear that decades later he has a devotee in Brian De Palma who made his mark by mimicking Hitchcock in most of his movies but tipped his creative hand and deep-seated ideology in Casualties Of War, a movie about the rape and execution civilian Vietnamese in the Viet Nam war. Redacted is a sloppy reboot of that ham-fisted narrative updated with a cutting edge feel but with all the attendant misguided intensity and sloganeering.

The story is based on the Al-Mahmudiyah incident of March, 2006 in which renegade and criminal soldiers from the 502nd Infantry Regiment raided the home of Iraqi civilians and raped a 15 year old girl, executed her family, and then burned her body. The format is much like The Blair Witch Project where handheld video cameras record the action in a quasi-documentary feel to punch the authenticity. After the incident the soldiers break down when one of them is butchered (his head cut off and body dumped) in an honor killing and they reveal what happened in a hopelessly bureaucratic whitewash by Army brass more concerned with satisfying mission goals than getting at the truth (think Nuremberg). The entire mission in Iraq is jammed in to a neat and predictable case of typical leftist projection that can be summed up in any late ‘60’s anti-war propaganda of painting American soldiers as baby killers. This is the most pernicious and insidious form of defamation and treason that can go unpunished in the post-WWII era.

Did it happen? Yes. Were the soldiers punished? Absolutely. They were given sentences of no less than life under military jurisdiction save one who will face charges of murder in civilian court. Does the movie show any of these consequences? No. How is the acting? As bad as I’ve ever seen. What about the characters? Well, the mastermind’s last name is Rush and he’s a slimy, fat, reprobate that defines the caricature of the American soldier in the closely guarded and black as night mind of the contemporary left. His henchman is a sadistic southerner (complete with Confederate flag) who defines the left’s vision of the current crop of recruits who choose military service rather than face a life of crime. The movie looks cheap. Is filled with cartoonish characters. And the dialog sounds like it came out of a Daily Kos pot-addled jam session. In short, it’s a movie that fans of Brian De Palma will remember as his greatest mistake and crushing blow to his supposed reputation as a serious filmmaker. Scarface can’t make up for this abortion.

Orwell said, “People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” The problem is that this movie doesn’t give credit to those brave men and women. It slanders all those in uniform in a worn out formula that will be used to subvert our efforts in Iraq. It is quite simply providing aid and comfort to our enemies. And in another time De Palma would be behind bars instead of sleeping in his bed while those rough men provide him the opportunity to give motivation to the enemies of this country. Rest assured, this movie will have a body count when you consider that jihadists riot and kill based on cartoons and rumors of flushed Korans and Mr. De Palma can gleefully hide behind his free speech while reaping financial reward and accolades from Dhimmi camp followers who have no clue that they are only drawing breath because of the sacrifice of those that they and De Palma hold in so much contempt.

If you see a soldier, thank him or her for their service; if you see Brian De Palma, put him on the ground and pay your fine. It’s the right thing to do. This movie is dangerous and will be used against us. Bank on it. And the folks who face the consequences are the same people that give De Palma the freedom to wipe his feces all over the culture without a thought or care.

[TNCMAXQ]

Cuban came across as a bit of an arrogant tool on Dancing with the Stars, I thought.

I wonder who I could send my suggestion to about organizing pro America people, veterans, etc to get groups of people to go and see the movie and laugh at inappropriate times. This might be a good way of protesting and helping to bring the film down without engaging any any real civil disobedience. ;)

I say laugh at inappropriate times. If the film is really as bad as the reviews then it sound like it is almost unintentional comedy.

[Sherman Logan]

These movies may do quite well overseas, where most of the money is now earned. It plays right into the perceptions of much of the world audience.

So don’t count on financial losses to stop such movies from being made.

[truemiester]

BOR says that folks should show up at the movie with “Support the Troops” signs.

[jalisco555]

These movies may do quite well overseas, where most of the money is now earned. It plays right into the perceptions of much of the world audience.

I read somewhere (forgot where) that these films are playing badly overseas as well. I think a lot of movies need US buzz to become successful outside the US. It's really hard to figure out why they keep making this crud. If they made a movie portraying American military acting heroically (i.e. just told the truth) people would line up around the block, both here and abroad.

[joeystoy]

Holy Schmoly!!! Didn’t know there was an original Scarface.

1932. America’s best director, Howard Hawks. One of America’s greatest writers, Ben Hecht. One of America’s finest character actors, Paul Muni.

See Only Angels Have Wings, His Girl Friday, Bringing Up Baby, Red River...

Hawks made classic movies in every possible genre... and his comedies were non-stop laughs from start to finish. In my opinion I’d even place him a cut above John Ford.

DePalma is a no-talent hack who somehow gains access to unlimited resources. I wouldn’t hire him to direct a training film on how to change a flat tire.

[visualops]

IMHO they are hardly be compared. The Muni character takes inspiration from Al Capone. De Palma’s Scarface is one of many “remakes” that bears scant resemblance to it’s predecessor.

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

I seem to recall someone hearing Cuban saying that the movie was about ‘what soldiers do when they’re bored’.

It's more like "what left-wing billionaires do when they're bored."

[ops33]

Except for impeachment, Congress cannot conduct any trials. But, I do understand your sentiment.

[Tribune7]

Scarface can’t make up for this abortion.

Scarface was a movie that could be enjoyed if one had enough beer and a VCR to fastforward through most of the scenes.

[pabianice]

“Redacted” opened in 13 (thirteen) theaters nationwide its first day. LOL!

[purpleraine]

Sounds good, but I think the movie will die of its own weight over the weekend.

Look for an Oscar nomination though, just to keep us in our place.

[Christian4Bush]

mark

[weegee]

"What you lookin' at? You all a bunch of f*&#in' @**holes. You know why? You don't have the guts to be what you wanna be? You need people like me. You need people like me so you can point your f*&#in' fingers and say, "That's the bad guy." So... what that make you? Good? You're not good. You just know how to hide, how to lie. Me, I don't have that problem. Me, I always tell the truth. Even when I lie. So say good night to the bad guy! Come on. The last time you gonna see a bad guy like this again, let me tell you. Come on. Make way for the bad guy. There's a bad guy comin' through! Better get outta his way! - (Tony Montana "Scarface")

[weegee]

I think cokeheads are big fanbase for Scarface. I didn’t see this movie until a few years ago and never understood why certain people were obsessive about quoting it.

Then I saw it and put it together with what I knew about their personal addictions.

[weegee]

From the Constitution of the United States:

Section 3. Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.

The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture except during the life of the person attainted.

Again the Congress MUST begin pushing for proceedings against Mr. DePalma or else should clear Ms. Gillar's name, she was convicted for a radio drama she produced while in Nazi Germany (it wasn't the Nazi thing that got her convicted).

[weegee]

Our RICO laws probably take their name from Rico in the 1930s Little Caesar.

[joeystoy]

Mother of mercy... I never thought of that.

[RobbyS]

I remember her. Yes, a gorgeous woman and she was middle-aged in the first films that I can remember.

[ozzymandus]

DePalma is a traitor. Cuban is a traitor. Treason goes unpunished in this country.

[weegee]

It certainly has since the self-proclaimed Communist Jane Fonda (who told us of how we’d all love living under Communism if we only knew what it was) met with North Vietnamese troops in war time and posed for propaganda photos seated on an enemy anti-aircraft cannon.