In reading the criticisms of this movie, here and elsewhere, my response is, TEARS OF THE SUN is a militarily based action MOVIE, not a war documentary. If all such movies were done in correct and exact military fashion without any Hollywood embellishment, only military tacticians would go see them. That said, all the information you need to know to understand the background of this film is there if you look and listen for it.
In the beginning, a newscaster reads, 'In a land with 120 million people and over 250 ethnic groups, there has been a long-standing history of ethnic enmity. Particularly between the Fulani Muslims in the North and the Christian Ebo in the South.' Soon afterward, mentioned are `ethnic cleansing,' `ethnic unrest,' and `control of Nigeria's vast oil supplies.' What else is there to know about why the `war' is going on in the film?
Also told is that the US is evacuating foreign nationals. And Monica Bellucci's character is described as being, `a critical personality,' code words for `from a family with money and influence.' What else do you need to know about why a Seal team goes in?
The violence, gore, the emotions of the refugees and the faces of the Seals after witnessing the gore tell you the rest. The evil that men are capable of doing to other men, is something that can never be explained or understood, no matter how many expository scenes a film has.
The Serbs/Croatians in Eastern Europe. The Catholics/Protestants in Ireland. The Kurds in Iraq. The Palestinians/Jews. Tibet and China. The `background' could, unfortunately, fit any number of peoples, not only those in Africa.
OVERALL, a very well done movie, in terms of action, actually having a plot, and a cast that can carry it all off. I'm sure this film would have done better at the box office had it been released at another time. With all that's going on in the world these past couple of years, the last thing movie goers want to see is another film about war on foreign soil. Too bad for TEARS OF THE SUN, because it it deserved to do much, much better.
In the beginning, a newscaster reads, 'In a land with 120 million people and over 250 ethnic groups, there has been a long-standing history of ethnic enmity. Particularly between the Fulani Muslims in the North and the Christian Ebo in the South.' Soon afterward, mentioned are `ethnic cleansing,' `ethnic unrest,' and `control of Nigeria's vast oil supplies.' What else is there to know about why the `war' is going on in the film?
Also told is that the US is evacuating foreign nationals. And Monica Bellucci's character is described as being, `a critical personality,' code words for `from a family with money and influence.' What else do you need to know about why a Seal team goes in?
The violence, gore, the emotions of the refugees and the faces of the Seals after witnessing the gore tell you the rest. The evil that men are capable of doing to other men, is something that can never be explained or understood, no matter how many expository scenes a film has.
The Serbs/Croatians in Eastern Europe. The Catholics/Protestants in Ireland. The Kurds in Iraq. The Palestinians/Jews. Tibet and China. The `background' could, unfortunately, fit any number of peoples, not only those in Africa.
OVERALL, a very well done movie, in terms of action, actually having a plot, and a cast that can carry it all off. I'm sure this film would have done better at the box office had it been released at another time. With all that's going on in the world these past couple of years, the last thing movie goers want to see is another film about war on foreign soil. Too bad for TEARS OF THE SUN, because it it deserved to do much, much better.