Sand Castle (2017)

Wonderful Movie

Pretty Good

Good start, but then it gets ruined

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

I Loved It But Wish They Used The Abrams I'm Trying To Find A Good Desert Storm, Operation Desert Shield Movie. It Was Biggest Ground And Air Armor Invasion. A10 in the air, armor on ground.

In a strong field of bad movies, this has to be the worst. Wrong vehicles, wrong tanks, wrong radios, bad example of tactics, banter, etc. Everything about this is garbage. There are hundreds of thousands of veterans who could have corrected any of these errors, if the producers cared to even ask. I usually overlook small things, but everything about this is wrong. I turned it off after 20 minutes, when it got too insulting to watch, but that's still 20 minutes I'll never get back.

Sand CastleA movie that is based on true events doesn't always payoff and in regards to Sand Castle I believe this film is a mixed bag. The story of American soldiers in Iraq that have to replace a damaged water supply to a small village doesn't sound very interesting on paper. It isn't the basic premise of the film that makes this movie just about watchable. It is the fact that soldiers where met with such hatred and obstacles. After all they were just trying to help. As a character coldly points out, "You Americans damaged the water supply, you fix it!" Trying to recruit local people to help with the restoration was unsuccessful and those who did risked being murdered. Sand Castle is a slow movie with emphasis on characterisation. The problem is that the overall film fails to grip the audience. Even a talented actor like Nicholas Hoult struggles with the given material. There's a brief appearance from Superman himself Henry Cavill who complete with beard and buzz cut is only just recognisable. He probably has the best line in the movie when he tells a uncooperative Sheik what he hopes will happen to him, then asks the interpreter not to translate. Director Fernando Coimbra does an adequate job of conveying the heat and harsh environment whilst writer Chris Roessener manages to channel the soldiers desperation of not wanting to be there. Roessener also demonstrates effectively that the people of Iraq didn't want the Americans to be there too. "Help us to help you!" is a line used by the American soldiers to no effect.The film starts out very promising with Hoults character purposely trapping his own hand in a vehicle door to get himself out of duty. Sadly the film descends in terms of interest after this making me believe that the true life events experienced by the writer could have been portrayed more effectively on screen. Sand Castle isn't a bad film, it's just not a great one either. It sustains the audiences interest, but only just.

This movie is based on the memoirs of a machine gunner who joins up in order to pay for college and the story follows his experiences in Iraq as he follows a group trying to deliver water.There are some faults. The expletive laced dialog of the soldiers is hard to comprehend. During a big battle towards the end it's hard to tell who is killed, everyone looks the same in camouflage.Nicholas Hoult is alright if a little genteel looking. An unrecognizable Henry Cavill (Superman) with beard plays another soldier.One ironic moment compares how an Iraqi went to university free of charge compared to back home. The difficult task of the occupying force is shown here. This movie isn't as good as War Machine, the recent Brad Pitt movie also on Netflix.