Review of The Messenger (2009) by Junior I — 15 Jun 2010
This moving piece of cinema came out of nowhere & really took me by surprised. It's a powerful & extremely bleak affair but is an amazing experience nonetheless. Not only because it gives us a look into a part of the army that is rarely even mentioned or recognised publicly (& after watching this I understand exactly why.
..) but because it features two of the strongest performances of the year. I've been an advent fan of Ben Foster since witnessing his blisteringly brilliant performance in the uneven 2006 film "Alpha Dog" His intense ferocity & relentless charisma spoke volumes to me & elevated that film to something worth watching.
Ever since then he's been doing great support work in several films, but finally with this he gets the lead role he has deserved for years. Woody Harrelson is equally impressive (if not even better) in the support role, he has had a great 2009 & I'm glad to see him back on top once again.
It's understandable that some might be put off by the subject matter & slow pace of the film, but it's definitely a journey worth taking.
This review of The Messenger (2009) was written by Junior I on 15 Jun 2010.
The Messenger has generally received positive reviews.
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