Review of Buffalo Soldiers (2002) by Stuart K — 05 Sep 2012

Directed by Gregor Jordan (Two Hands (1999) and Ned Kelly (2003)), this is based on a book by 1993 novel by Robert O'Connor. This is an amusing black comedy which is cut from similar cloth to M*A*S*H (1970) and Catch-22 (1970), which shows what U.

S. Soldiers do when there's no war to fight. It was delayed for two years, but it's a good satire showing a confused time in the world's history. It's 1989, and soldier Ray Elwood (Joaquin Phoenix) is station at an army barracks in West Germany, and he's bored.

The Cold War with East Germany and the Soviets is nearly at an end, and there's no war to fight. So, he sells drugs on the black market, cooking heroin for the German Military Police. But, Elwood is posing as a model soldier, right under the nose of Colonel Berman (Ed Harris), whose wife (Elizabeth McGovern) is sleeping with Elwood.

However, things take a change when Sergeant Robert E. Lee (Scott Glenn), takes command of Elwood's team, and punishes him. Things get worse when Elwood starts dating Lee's daughter Robyn (Anna Paquin), and a cache of weapons go missing.

It's a good satire on war, best known for a tank going through a small German town, but it came perilously close to not being seen at all when 9/11 happened, and then producer FilmFour briefly went under.

But, Phoenix has fun in the role of Elwood, and is able to keep his cool when shit happens in this barracks. Jordan should be making more films, he showed promise with this.