SUBSCRIBE
F O R T R E S S
No Result
View All Result
  • MOVIES
  • TV
  • GAMING
  • TECH
  • COMICS
  • CULTURE
    • BOOKS
    • TOYS
    • SNEAKERS
    • INTERNET
    • WIN
  • VIDEO
Fortress of Solitude
  • MOVIES
  • TV
  • GAMING
  • TECH
  • COMICS
  • CULTURE
    • BOOKS
    • TOYS
    • SNEAKERS
    • INTERNET
    • WIN
  • VIDEO
SUBSCRIBE
No Result
View All Result
Fortress of Solitude
No Result
View All Result

Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk Review

Home > Movies > Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk Review – Not The Usual Propaganda

Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk Review – Not The Usual Propaganda

Jarrod SaundersbyJarrod Saunders
March 10, 2017
in Movies
Tags: Movie ReviewMovies
ShareTweetSend

You have to wonder why a film starring Vin Diesel, Steve Martin, Kristen Stewart and Chris Tucker, directed by Life of Pi‘s Ang Lee, didn’t get much love at the U.S. box office. The problem probably lies with Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk‘s subject matter: war. If there is anything Americans don’t want to see it’s a compassionate war film that doesn’t have traditional propaganda.

Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk Review

Arriving back from Iraq, 19-year-old Billy Lynn feels completely out of place in his hometown. Although he is dubbed a hero, Billy is burdened by the ills of war. While he is conflicted by his duty to his country and his sister’s pleas for him to return home to his family, he also has to deal with his sudden popularity after a video showing him rushing to the rescue of a wounded marine goes viral. As the world celebrates Billy, he finds himself dropped dead centre into America’s worst example of greed. And it’s troubling.

Award-winning director Ang Lee (Sense And Sensibility, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Brokeback Mountain) has a knack for packing a big emotional punch in the still and quiet moments of his films. He does the same in Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk. Where other directors would over exaggerate the trauma experienced by the lead or aggressively tackle the subject, Lee stands firm in his belief that less is more. This allows for the bigger emotional moments to ring true. And there’s many of them.

Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk Review

It could be argued that the film is a slow burner but, even in its quiet moments, Lee builds up towards the film’s final conclusion. The camaraderie between Billy and his unit is infectious. There are some genuinely funny and heartbreaking moments, which is accompanied by really good performances from the cast. While Joe Alwayn is good as the lead, Garrett Hedlund is a true revelation as SGT Dime. He is emotionally invested in his role, which he considers a tribute to his late father. And while he isn’t the centre of the film, his moments do shine the brightest.

Based on Ben Fountain’s novel, scripted by Jean-Christophe Castelli, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk isn’t an anti-war film. Instead, it feels like a strange coming-of-age story mixed with a satirical look at war. The essence of Ang Lee’s perspective seems to be that war is incredibly complicated – even for the heroes. It’s not a perfect film, but its heart is definitely in the right place.

ShareTweetSend
ADVERTISEMENT
  • The 15 Most Powerful Anime Characters Of All Time

    The 15 Most Powerful Anime Characters Of All Time

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The 15 Most Powerful Characters In The Marvel Universe

    24 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 12 Most Powerful Characters In The DC Universe

    139 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Hollywood Actors Who’ve Been In the Most Movies

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 15 Smart Movies For Smart People

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
ADVERTISEMENT

FEATURED

Sasha Calle Supergirl
Movies

The Internet On Sasha Calle As Supergirl: “Why Isn’t She White & Blonde?”

byCaryn Ganess
February 22, 2021
Top 10 Best Anime Series Of All-Time
TV Series

Top 10 Best Anime Series Of All-Time

byEvan Saunders
February 21, 2021
HBO's The Last Of Us: Fans Want Nikolaj Coster-Waldau As Joel Instead
TV Series

HBO’s The Last Of Us: Fans Want Nikolaj Coster-Waldau As Joel Instead

byCaryn Ganess
February 20, 2021
ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT
Jarrod Saunders

Written by Jarrod Saunders

Jarrod Saunders is the founder and editor-in-chief of Fortress of Solitude. He currently works as a filmmaker (director, writer, editor) but has previous experience as a multimedia developer, web designer, DTP operator, graphic designer, layout artist and sound engineer.

Read More from Jarrod Saunders

Related Posts

The Wizard of Oz - 1939
Movies

The Wizard of Oz Remake to be Directed by Nicole Kassell

byStaff Writer
February 22, 2021
Wrong Turn 2021 Review
Movies

Wrong Turn 2021 Review – Horror Returns To The Woods

bySergio Pereira
February 22, 2021
i care a lot review
Movies

I Care A Lot Review – Unnerving & Wildly Entertaining

February 19, 2021
Face Off Reboot Sequel
Movies

Face/Off Sequel: Director Confirms It’s Not A Reboot

byCaryn Ganess
February 16, 2021
The Secrets of Deepfake and CGI in the Film Industry
Movies

The Secrets of Deepfake and CGI in the Film Industry

bySergio Pereira
February 10, 2021

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Fortress of Solitude

Fortress of Solitude

Fortress of Solitude has become one of the most popular geek entertainment interest websites in South Africa and covers news and reviews on movies, games, comic books, gadgets, TV series, toys, sneakers and more.

The articles on Fortress of Solitude are written by a group of talented, professional and experienced freelance writers, all experts and leaders in their various fields.

Categories

  • Board Games
  • Books
  • Comic Books
  • Competitions
  • Gaming
  • Internet
  • Movies
  • Podcast
  • Sneakers
  • Tech
  • Toys
  • TV Series

Newsletter

Sign up for news in your inbox.

  • For more information on COVID-19
  • About Us
  • Authors
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy & Site Disclaimer
  • Contact Fortress of Solitude

© 2021 Fortress of Solitude, a division of Fortress Entertainment. Registered in South Africa. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Latest
  • Home
  • Movies
  • Gaming
  • Comic Books
  • Tech
  • TV
  • Toys
  • Sneakers
  • Win
  • Video
  • Fortress Podcast
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • Contact
  • RSS Feeds
  • Privacy & Site Disclaimer

© 2021 Fortress of Solitude, a division of Fortress Entertainment. Registered in South Africa. All Rights Reserved.