Review of In the Valley of Elah (2007) by Mike M — 24 May 2009

"In the Valley of Elah" is an unbelievably left-handed look at war and the men sent to fight it, but it functions beautifully as a message movie as well as upper level drama. It will undoubtedly be lambasted by conservatives and veterans alike, even though the film takes great strides to include both demographics in its storyline.

But director Paul Haggis has produced a much more focused final cut than his (undeserved) Oscar-winner "Crash." There are no extraneous storylines, no ridiculous characters, and its message is timely instead of easily applicable beween the years 1776 and now. "In the Valley of Elah" is a well-acted, brilliantly shot, persistent film, even if its delivery is severe to the point of being alienating.