Review of Dog Tags (1987) by Troy K — 27 Nov 2008

My husband and I picked this movie up on a whim because it was featured on a shelf at the local Blockbuster. I've noticed across the country that they seem to deliberately feature a Gay Film so kudos to them for that. As a same-sex couple, we're always curious about the latest in Gay Film and want to support its evolution.

In summary, we came really close to turning off Dog Tags midway through. The story just didn't add up and many of the supporting characters couldn't act but weren't helped by the overly ethereal lines they were asked to speak.

I had trouble suspending my disbelief that the two primary characters would ever interact this long in real life. This was made most manifest by the marine character, fresh from boot camp, enjoying some eye makeup as part of a short-lived rebellion.

The director was able to check the "Include Full Frontal Male Nudity" checkbox apparently required of all Gay Film very early on. It was awkward, silly, and didn't contribute anything to the story.

Finally, one nit that drove me mad: During the most significant sex scene the marine character suddenly grew his hair back during sex then apparently shaved it off afterwards. What that a body double?!

In short, I'd give this film a pass and find another way to spend 90 minutes.