Tears of the Sun
Metascore
48 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 36 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 36
  3. Negative: 7 out of 36
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  1. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Jami Bernard
    38
    A preposterous action movie in which a Navy SEAL makes the world safe for democracy one continent at a time.
  2. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Scott Tobias
    30
    Impossible to swallow as truth, this Rambo treatment is equally hard to enjoy as escapism.
  3. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Dana Stevens
    30
    Unfortunately, the movie's real setting is a sentimental fantasy world, and its story is a spectacularly incoherent exercise in geopolitical wish fulfillment.
  4. Rolling Stone
    Reviewed by: Peter Travers
    25
    Director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) can stage action, but he can't save a trivializing, reactionary script featuring a Hollywood star (read America) as a global savior.
  5. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marc Savlov
    20
    It’s as deadly dull as the blunt end of a rifle.
  6. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Michael Atkinson
    20
    This "Black Hawk Down" theft is a trial by cliché until the climax, which suggests a dress rehearsal for the torching of Baghdad.
  7. Wall Street Journal
    Reviewed by: Joe Morgenstern
    20
    Relevance can't rescue this would-be epic from the swamps of inertia, absurdity and sentimentality.
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User Reviews

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User Score
6.5 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 52 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 36
  3. Negative: 10 out of 36
  1. MasterCorwin
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view. It is strange to see its such - the actor whom it is difficult to present in other role, than to roles of the cool guy thrusting tens of bullets in any who will encroach on the American way of life.


    It is strange to look, how flow down on the person of the lieutenant rain drops, and to see his eyes. Eyes of the professional many long years killing by order of where will tell and in whom will specify. Eyes in which is brighter, than in the opinion of the person of any other trade, all pain of this silly is reflected, God of the damned world which is not able and doing not wish to learn to live in the consent with itself. Eyes in which depth, behind a wall of composure of the gone through fire and water person, the weariness hardly considerably decays. Both grief. And a question: what I for you, become hardened should make heart and soul Adam and Eve's living on this planet descendants that you at last have realized importance of each human life? How many still lives I that you has reached should take away, what it is impossible to kill or order to kill only because to you so it is pleasant or because you are obliged? Whom from you I should shoot down or kill, that the mankind has come round and has ceased is boastful to be trampled down knee-deep in own blood? This question is set to itself by each soldier. Not only at cinema, but also in life. But it is necessary to search for the answer to it very long. At times so happens that it comes only when the one who set, has already failed on the earth with the raked breast.


    And still each of them hopes that will find the answer not too late. That can make it still before will feel that for quite some time now to it already on all to spit, and the question that was once shone in the heart of eyes, was replaced with the cold, cynical and indifferent counter of death.


    And it... It has already found it. Not in words and not in books. And in eyes. In the opinion of Lena Kendricks, going mad of ignorance - it has survived or not. In the opinion of those whom conducted behind itself to the border and whom covered with fire in last furious and bloody firing. In the opinion of Slo, dying at it on hands. In the opinion of Lake, covered before death the body the Nigerian girl.


    The answer has appeared is simple. Easier the most simple question. Healthy fellow Mike was right, devil take it: "all it wasn't vain".


    After all if you want to rescue the whole world - begin at least with one person...    … Full Review »
  2. Alexander_Fred
    4
    The movie opens brilliantly offering a new look into war in contrast to the Vietnam/World II films such as Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, or Saving Private Ryan. Unfortunately this new look is not so good and I found myself soon begging for those classics. The only basis for Tears of the Sun is not in history, but in fiction. The film thus becomes tiresome soon after Bruce Willis enters the Nigerian village. By the end, we are left with lackluster acting (save for Willis), improbable and unbelievable circumstances including Willis disobeying direct orders without consequence, a cliched and poorly created love scenario between Willis and the good doctor, an ending more cliched than the love scenario and just as poorly built, and a directing style that is at times smooth and stylish, but at others cramped and hard to stomach. Tears of the Sun stands as one of the worse war movies of recent years, though with only two battle sequences in its over 2 hour length, war movie may be an improper description.… Full Review »
  3. lususgreene
    6
    Better than your average movie of this type Tears of the sun delivers a respectable story and good acting. Worth a watch, mabye worth buying for around $3. Nothing special here though really, it is just your normal slightly above average flick.… Full Review »
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