Review of Tears of the Sun (2003) by Call Me Noc? — 12 May 2009

"What've you got?

- Ringside seats to an ethnic cleansing.".

'Tears of the Sun' is a typical search and rescue film that suddenly gets too much of heart. By this the film delivers some dramatic images that may seem a bit tough to look at.

"It's been so long since I've done a good thing... a right thing.".

The actors all do a decent job, typical roles for a film of this genre with some melodramatic performances. None of 'em stand out but what I noticed was that Bruce Willis, whom I've respected since I saw him in 'Moonlighting', felt a bit out of focus. Not the typical Willis I'm used to. I presume that one reason could be the fact that he had recently divorced Demi Moore and was living a 'live free or die hard' phase of his life, when he was, and I quote Mac from one of my favourite TV shows 'It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia', banging these hot young girls, changing them constantly like socks.

"All right, lieutenant Waters. I'm all yours.".

After Monica Bellucci's character, Dr Hendricks, said these words that I've quoted above, I was immediately distracted from the movie, just for a couple of seconds. I've had this secret crush on Monica for years. I guess it's not secret anymore but damn! And when she starts to shout in italian when she's upset... I'm sold.

The action is solid but the tactics or solutions that they do on their mission does not feel logical and result in a silly outcome. For an example the big final battle in the jungle where SEAL members start to drop. Why did rugged soldiers all of a sudden get noble thoughts and choose to take risks that would put in danger themselves and the civilians that they try to rescue?

What was the purpose for this movie? To show us brutal images of mutilated bodies and by this understand the brutality of war or genocide? 'Tears of the Sun' does not stand out from the genre that has not renewed for years. It doesn't have anything special in it for it to deserve several viewings.