Saints and Soldiers Movie Review

PG-13 (for war violence) — 1hr. 30 min.

Well, I just finished watching an excellent movie. I had heard of Saints and Soldiers back when it was first released in 2005. At the time, the money wasn’t available to see it in the theater, so I had intended to see it when it was released to DVD instead. Life of course had once again gotten the better of me and I had obviously forgotten about it, until yesterday.

A coworker, who happens to be a National Guardsman, mentioned this movie was available on Hulu. I went to look into it and I was surprised to see the movie cover/poster was the movie I had wanted to see those many years ago. I had obviously not remembered the title of the movie, but the picture (as so many really good pictures do) speaks volumes about the movie.

If you happen to be a movie buff, even a minor one such as myself, than this movie is for you. Being a war movie fan helps too, but this movie doesn’t rely on the genre as it easily holds its own among so many glitzy big-budget epics of today’s cinema. Even as a lower budgeted independent film, “Saints” kept me riveted and watching every second. The timing of the film is well-paced with a few minor lulls, but these are necessary to build the credibility of the characters and capture the essence of war in the era of World War II.

I enjoy a good action film, but I have found recently that I really enjoy watching movies that aren’t full of foul language or sex. I understand, being a veteran myself, that war is hell and I can certainly appreciate the appropriate usage of a well-timed barrage of foul language. I find however, with the more time goes by, the more garbage Hollywood squeezes into PG, PG-13 and even R movies. Originally set to be rated R, the film has been re-edited for the PG-13 rating.

Synopsis:
“Saints and Soldiers” is a dramatic, intense and heroic WWII film about members of the Greatest Generation struggling to be both good men and good soldiers.

In mid-December 1944, while Hitler’s Army blitzkriegs through the Ardennes Forest in Belgium, American sharpshooter Corporal Nathan Greer, known as Deacon, finds himself held captive with over one hundred other American soldiers in a snow-covered field. As panic and confusion ensue, the German soldiers open fire on the American prisoners in the historical event now known as the Malmedy Massacre. Greer, his friend Staff Sergeant Gordon Gunderson and a handful of others escape the massacre by hiding in the nearby woods. The small band of soldiers come across a British Intelligence pilot who has been shot down and stranded, who is in possession of valuable information to be delivered to Allied Forces.

With few weapons, no food and a strained camaraderie, the tiny band must take on the unforgiving winter to fight their way back to Allied occupied territory.