Kurtlar vadisi - Irak (2006)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Directors:

Serdar Akar
Sadullah Sentürk (co-director)

Writers:

Ömer Lütfi Mete (scenario supervisor)
Raci Sasmaz (screenplay)

Release Date:

3 February 2006 (Syria)

Genre:

Action | Adventure

Tagline:

Some Men Are Born to be Heroes

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Artificiality | Turkey | Wedding | Racist

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Necati Sasmaz	...	Polat Alemdar
Billy Zane	...	Sam William Marshall
Ghassan Massoud	...	Abdurrahman Halis Karuki (sheikh)
Gürkan Uygun	...	Memati Bas
Bergüzar Korel	...	Leyla
Kenan Çoban	...	Abdülhey Çoban
Erhan Ufak	...	Erhan Ufak
Diego Serrano	...	Dante, Sam's assistant
Gary Busey	...	Doctor
Spencer Garrett	...	George Baltimore, journalist
Tito Ortiz	...	American Major Commander 2
Nusret Senay	...	Turkish Commander
Tayfun Eraslan	...	SÜLEYMAN ASLAN
Ismet Hürmüzlü	...	Abu Tarik, arab leader
Jihad Abdou	...	KURDISH LEADER

Also Known As:

Valley of the Wolves: Iraq (International: English title)

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

Turkey

Language:

Arabic | English | Turkish | Kurdish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | Germany:16 (original rating) | Germany:18 (re-rating) | Australia:MA | France:-16 | Finland:K-15 | Japan:PG-12 | New Zealand:R16

Filming Locations:

Gaziantep, Turkey

Company:

Pana Film

Trivia:

This film was the the subject of heated discussions in Germany. Originally it was rated "Not under 18" by the FSK, but distributor Maxximum appealed this decision which resulted in a "Not under 16" rating. Then the film became a success, especially amongst turkish teenagers. The success resulted in massive media coverage. This in turn resulted in broad discussions from politicians (especially from the Bavarian conservative CSU party), youth organisations etc. about the films "Anti-American statements" and their influence on youngsters. After another appeal (from the minister for family and integration from Northrhine Westphalia) the FSK raised the rating back to the original "Not under 18".

Goofs:

Factual errors: The supposed Humvees seen being driven by the U.S. Soldiers are obvious souped-up civilian models with V-8 engine exhaust ports, most likely the Turkish equivalent of the American model. The U.S. military standard Humvee does not have V-8 engines and are much smaller than depicted in this film.

Movie Connections:

Follows "Kurtlar vadisi" (2003)

The other side of the medal

As mentioned before here somewhere, there is a true hysteria on going in Europe about this movie, which i don't understand at all. Why is it, that people get up now and denunciate the content. What is wrong with them guys ? I mean Hollywood produced Bullsh.. for years, and told so called "true" stories one-sided and no one ever said a word about their manipulative policy. Russians have been showed bad and evil for years, then the Japanese, then the Arabian world and it always was OK. Who says, the good guys are always American ? Who says justice is being made by stars'n'stripes ? Once Oliver Stone dragged a whole country and its people in the mud and every consumer thought, ooohhh yeah, so this is what Turkey is about. And when the Turks complained about that movie, Hollywood's answer was: Hey, it's just a movie. Don't take serious. Exact the same thing word, is what I'm saying now: Hey, it's only Showbiz !!! But back to the movie.

Valley of Wolves sure has some lacks in professionalism but what has to be said: the movie is thrilling. Besides the American actors, which are chosen very well, the Turkish ones have some work to do to take place in the higher class. But of course, there are also very touching moments, like the Hospital visit from the main character. The special and action effects are not bad but are too limited in its volume to be really spectacle.

I think it is a solid action movie and for once told from the other side than the usual "hero saves the world" stuff.

cheers.