This is one of those heart-stirring war movies about ordinary citizens brutalized by arrogant, violent invaders. Rising up against their oppressors, knowing that it will mean death for many, the common folk achieve moral victory in the end. Who can belittle a theme like that? There are moments where the courage and determination of the common heroes can evoke a tear or give you a lump in your throat, and the sense of triumph at the end is uplifting. Having acknowledged all that, it has to be pointed out for the sake of newcomers to the film that the film is also unabashed melodrama, in which everything is black and white with no greys, where everything is just a little too much--too much nobility and self-sacrifice on one side, too much cruelty and inhumanity on the other, too many fine speeches, too many tear-jerking moments, too many scenes with the sole purpose of playing on the viewer's heartstrings. If you're prepared for the melodrama and not expecting anything too close to the complex reality of actual people and actual situations, you can enjoy this movie.
Review of Edge of Darkness
