Hart's War

Name: Hart's War
Genre: Drama, War
Released: February 15, 2002
Duration: 125 min
Rating: 49
Cast: Bruce Willis, Colin Farrell

2002

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Mixed or average reviews based on 32 Critic Reviews

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Mixed or average reviews based on 30 Ratings

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5.7

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5.7	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 30 Ratings

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Hart's War

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Movie Details & Credits

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corporation (MGM) | Release Date: February 15, 2002 | R

Starring: Bruce Willis, Colin Farrell

Summary: Set in a Nazi prisoner of war camp, Lt. Tommy Hart (Farrell), a Harvard law student before enlisting, is assigned by top ranking Colonel William McNamara (Willis) to defend an African-American airman (Howard) accused of murder in a camp trial held by his fellow American prisoners.

Director: Gregory Hoblit

Genre(s): Drama, War

Rating: R

Runtime: 125 min

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Critic Reviews

James Berardinelli

Works uncommonly well because of the effective manner in which it blends together its various elements: the WW2 prison camp setting, the courtroom aspects, and the issues of honor, racism, and redemption. Read full review

Carrie Rickey

The plot is canny, but it would be little more than an ingenious springloaded device were it not for the performances by Howard and Iures. Read full review

Michael Sragow

Could have been a contender, but it lacks the courage of its own ambivalence. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Maitland McDonagh

Despite its admirable sobriety for most of its running time, the film's climax is a parade of ludicrous clichés. Read full review

Liam Lacey

Having seen the TV series "Hogan's Heroes," we already know that a German prisoner of war camp can be cartooned; Hart's War goes further as a cartoon that takes itself seriously. Read full review

Peter Travers

Director Gregory Hoblit ("Primal Fear") is merely arranging cliches in new patterns until the surprise ending blows enough pro-military fervor up the audience's ass to make Colin Powell call a halt. Read full review

A.O. Scott

Wants to be everything and adds up to nothing. "War" is a film that tries to excel on several levels and falls flat on all of them. Read full review

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User Reviews

SickTwizted89

Jan 21, 2017

Under Rated film.. Just goes to show some Americans are just as bad as the knazies wer like when the black liutenent get quart marshalled for the american who planted the spike under the bed.. Having said that this was a powerful fim

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TonyB.

Sep 19, 2005

What a shame that this fine film was not recognized by the critics or promoted effectively by MGM.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

FilmQueen

Oct 29, 2015

I have not read the book and I didn't know what to expect, but I liked this movie. I think it took a somewhat different approach than what we usually see in war films.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

FrankO.

Jan 25, 2006

Disappointed in this film, the book by John Katzenbach was so much better in terms of tension and suspense. Willis was good, first time I noticed Terrance Howard who I enjoy as an actor. Way too long.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

MeritCoba

Sep 5, 2016

What is a man's life worth?

Hart's War is wrongly titled as this gives the impression that this is a war movie. In fact, it is a courtroom movie with the war providing a unique setting: it is held in Germany in a prisoner of war camp filled with allied soldiers.The central theme is akinWhat is a man's life worth?

Hart's War is wrongly titled as this gives the impression that this is a war movie. In fact, it is a courtroom movie with the war providing a unique setting: it is held in Germany in a prisoner of war camp filled with allied soldiers.The central theme is akin to Saving Private Ryan: what is a man's life worth? Do we sacrifice the many to save the one and in reverse: do we sacrifice the one to save the many? how unfair that might be. The case gets complicated by the fact that the final (and deadly) authority is held by the Germans and that the accused is a black man, with all the racial entanglements that this creates. Next to that is that the main protagonist comes from the wealthier class from the us. This provides yet another source of tension.
It is up to Colin Farrell to defend the reluctant black Lieutenant, while the others make his life difficult, notably the camp commandant.

It would have made for a great story if the script hadn't been so bad. An example: the Germans are yet again of the stereotypical kind: they have no problem to summarily shoot prisoners of war or hang them without a proper trial. A severe breach of the Geneva convention and totally ridiculous at that point of time in the war as the Germans could have guessed that the shoe would soon be on the other foot. But even more: why would the camp commandant even bother with a courtroom case anyway if he is such a bad dude? Well, the movie provides the flimsiest of excuses: 'that might be interesting', the commandant says.

The American prisoners are your usual set of suspects with a few bad dudes with a racial bias, the nondescript filler cast and the exemplary good guy Colin Farell. Those who expect the fireworks of Twelve Angry Men or the cat and mouse play of A Few Good Men shall not find it here. Key moments are not intense and played out with passion. It is all bland, flat almost emotionless. Like eating sawdust. No Jack Nicolson who blows his top as In A few good men, no Humphrey Bogart who falls apart in the courtroom in The Caine Mutiny and no Lee J. Cobb who collapses in a heap of misery after his tirade and gives in in Twelve Angry Men. These key moments is what makes these people go, no such moments are in this movie.
The movie is just not right. The camera doesn't intensify the scene(close ups for key moments), the scenery is not use right(cramped environments to make you feel locked in and with no place to go), strange angles to create a fearful mood, ties undone when the scenes get heated. Nothing.It tarts out with a totally pointless first part in which Farrell is captured. It ends with a long after explanation that doesn't matter.
It is not rightly cast with the camp commandant, a key figure, played by a nobody and Bruce Willes, taking the role of Jack Nicolson had in A Few Good Men, is just not being the right guy for that job. Willes is the kind of guy who stays cool and collected even under pressure and makes wisecracks, while Nicolson can explode, rant and spittle.. That is the passion you need when you become undone.
And finally on top of all that is the breast beating. Yeah, you such an honest band of freedom-loving good guys.

All in all, a mediocre movie that will sink into oblivion. I read the book was okay, let's hope someone in due time will make a better movie with it so we can forget about this one.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

SylvieT.

Jan 18, 2010

Couldn't even finish watching it. If there had never been a WWII movie made, ever, this would have been a good representation. Failed to deliver anything 'new'. I just got bored and left.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

The3AcademySins

Jul 4, 2018

This movie is goofy, fanciful, borderline insulting fiction that really dumbs down a lot of the experiences of being a POW in WWII. There's a reason not a lot of people are watching "Hart's War" in 2018. The plot of the Tuskegee Airmen and the trial are the best parts of the film, and shineThis movie is goofy, fanciful, borderline insulting fiction that really dumbs down a lot of the experiences of being a POW in WWII. There's a reason not a lot of people are watching "Hart's War" in 2018. The plot of the Tuskegee Airmen and the trial are the best parts of the film, and shine very brightly. If you want a good POW film, go watch "The Great Escape."… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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