I missed it on Theater's screen, 'cause the title. The Beast of War is definitely not another war B series movie, nor a sequel of Rambo III. How to be less manichean than this movie? It's a wonderful tale about war, the men who do them (a fanatic old tanker wonderfully played by George Dzundza, the intellectual Jason Patric, the dumb one and the coward one), good and evil on each side and intelligence. Even the evil ones are complex people. Its also a formidable incarnation of the sole monster in this story: the Beast aka the Tank. The tank symbolizes war: violent, lost, both powerful and beatable, limited in action. Descripting the Russian occupation of Afghanistan, it would also fit to every modern occupation wars: Irak, Vietnam, etc... The cultural gap and the ways to cross it (though the smart friendship between Jason Patrick and the Afghani chief played by Steven Bauer) are lessons for every one. It should have been watched by the Pentagon before the recent Afghani and Iraqi wars. A deep analysis of the roots of the red army's glory from Stalingrad and the related nostalgia, is perfectly made here.
I was surprised as well by Kevin Reynold's work (far from waterworld), by the musical theme, and the shots of this movie.
Dzundza ("Tank boy")should have won an Oscar for his interpretation of this villain, victim of war and sticked to his tank.
I was surprised as well by Kevin Reynold's work (far from waterworld), by the musical theme, and the shots of this movie.
Dzundza ("Tank boy")should have won an Oscar for his interpretation of this villain, victim of war and sticked to his tank.