Review of Buffalo Soldiers (2002) by Casey B — 11 Jan 2004

[center][font=Arial Black]Buffalo Soldiers[/center].

Directed by Gregor Jordan.

Review By OppressedWriter.

Available on DVD on June 13, 2004[/font].

[font=Arial]?Buffalo Soldiers? stands testament to the fact that people are fucking stupid. Here?s the deal: the film premiered on September 9th, 2001 to immense positive buzz and was promptly purchased by maverick (I?m just joking) distribution company Miramax. This was of course much to the delight of director Gregor Jordan, who had been making the film without any backing for over three years. As luck would have it the film?s scathingly comedic portrayal of American soldiers set during the last phases of the cold war met the untimely wrath of blind patriotism. Many people saw fit to condemn the film because it painted a negative view on the American military after the 9/11 incident. Miramax got scared and decided to shelf a film that could label them Anti-American. When honestly a film like ?Buffalo Soldiers? being embraced would serve as the ultimate defense for a country that preaches freedom of speech. [/font].

[font=Arial]?Buffalo Soldiers? is not a film about how terrible the military is. It?s essentially a dark comedy which occasionally tackles some thought provoking issues. The film is set in a military base located outside West Germany where Ray Elwood (Joaquin Phoenix), a specialist for the 317th battalion, takes his position as means to construct a large number of black market operations. Elwood is not a honest person, in fact he?s quite the asshole, and frankly he doesn?t give a shit about anyone but himself. He?s part of a group: forced recruits who were given the choice between jail and military time. There is no desire for him to serve his country besides avoiding jail. His criminal instincts still pervade his actions, and it?s hard to blame him considering he?s a product of a flawed recruiting system. [/font].

[font=Arial]The activities occurring on this base range from shocking to absurd. Almost every soldier is involved in a number of illegal activities. Elwood, just happens to be part of more than average. His activities range from cooking meth, selling army cleaning products on the black market, having an affair with his colonel?s (Ed Harris) wife, and selling high powered weapons to drug kingpins. Elwood?s perfect set up is only spoiled when a new top sergeant (Scott Glenn) starts to snoop around in his business. Glenn plays the sergeant with a menacing, often chilling intensity serving up a good villain for us to root against despite Elwood?s anti-hero qualities. [/font].

[font=Arial]Glenn is not very delighted with Elwood?s smarminess. He makes it a mission to find out what?s going on, and has no plans to give up until he takes Elwood down. Not the type of person to back down from a challenge. Elwood takes it upon himself to fight back Glenn by dating his only daughter (Anna Paquin). This allows the film to serve up a duel of sorts between two anti heroes: the American killing machine, and the traitor. Both characters are have likable and unlikable qualities, but in this scenario Glenn?s character is more menacing because he?s an efficient killing machine. In war that?s a good thing, but in the real world he?s, what most would, akin to a homicidal maniac. Elwood being narcissistic and self indulgent is sort of the ultimate American. He is , after all, actively pursuing his happiness. [/font].

[font=Arial]Despite all the heavy themes that could be dealt with in a film like this. Gregor Jordan takes the approach of a giddy satirist. One who watches from far away with wry complacence. The film has it?s fair share of unexpected surprises, and the few times the movie references actual war it does it with caustic subtlety. The best thing about this film is it?s lack of pretension. It doesn?t ever preach on a soapbox. It only takes a setting that could possibly allow such ludicrous situations to occur and creates it. It?s not really about how the military is inept, but more about how funny and dangerous it could possibly be. Keeping that thought in mind ?Buffalo Soldiers? is the ultimate comedy of sorts, a film whose humor could stand on it?s own two feet, but is exemplified by the topic it lampoons. [/font].

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