Review of War Horse (2011) by Grant S — 20 Oct 2012
Disappointing, and vastly over-rated. For the most part feels like a Disney movie, i.e. made for kids. Yet interspersed with the cheesy made-for-kids moments are some pretty horrific war scenes. Therein lies Steven Spielberg's error: you can't have a Disney war movie.
Meant to be emotional, the emotion is contrived (mostly through the music). I found it hard to care about the horse, especially as you have thousands of soldiers dying on either side, and we are expected to care more about the wellbeing of a horse.
Overly long: takes a while to get moving, and then just meanders.
In addition, it is historically and militarily inaccurate (which is unusual for Spielberg, as he directed Saving Private Ryan and produced the superb series Band of Brothers).
Performances are so-so. In keeping with the Disney feel, most performances feel patronising and trite. No standouts.
On the plus side, the production values are excellent. Cinematography and special effects are great (as you would expect from Spielberg).
This review of War Horse (2011) was written by Grant S on 20 Oct 2012.
War Horse has generally received positive reviews.
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