Age of Heroes (2011)

Truly Dreadful Film

Pretty Good

Good movie but grossly overrated

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

This looked like it could be a very entertaining watch for several reasons : 1.I am a sucker for WWII films. 2.Seeing if Danny Dyer could not act like a coke-fuelled cockney geezer 3.The Bloke (Aksel Hennie) from the blisteringly good Max Manus Man of War (2008) It was good because : 1.It pulled no punches when the SS troops executed a family - unlike Inglorious Basterds 2. Supporting cast held the film together 3.It passed the time It was not good because : 1.Venacular and rhythm of dialogue more suited to youtube generation than WWII dialogue 2.Costumes so poorly made, I wondered if the seamstress only had double-sided tape to finish the collars, and bedsheets for the alpine SS uniforms ? 3.Weapons looked incorrect, but I'm not enough of a WWII buff to dispute this 4.Sean Bean appeared to have had 'work done' before this film - his eyes look post-surgery stretched and puffy all at once 5.Danny Dyer only just managed not to say the C word and sounded too modern-day cockney for the time 6.Danny Dyers teeth were too white 7.Jensen, the female character had a full face of make-up in the barn scene - totally unrealistic 8.The vehicles were clearly leased from a movie props company, with crappy old tyres just about driveable 9. Special effects out of the late 1970's 10. You cannot walk hundreds of miles to Sweden in the snow with no food or skis 11. More wooden than Keanu Reeves / Kristen Stewart

It has some of the qualities of a television production -- the flat photography, the close ups. But what it is, is a British movie about a commando raid into Norway early in World War II. Ian Fleming is seen supporting the organization of what was to become the SAS but his isn't a prominent role, and he does not wear polished oxblood brogans or chocolate colored bow ties. He's a naval commander, and the leader of the back is major Sean Bean, older but more impressive in his bulk than ever.Some recent British war movies, like "Behind Enemy Lines," have been unusually graphic compared to the triumphant war stories of the 1950s. This one is more brutal and far less polite than any of the others in the genre that I've been able to see.These nascent commandos and the prison that one of them comes from are hellishly demanding. The Brits who run the prison ("the red hats") bully the prisoners, kick them, drive them to exhaustion and then beat them. And the commando training is even more rigorous.The first half tells the story of a prisoner who escapes in order to join the commandos. The second half spells out the story of the raid on some German radar installations in the snowy mountains of Norway.The SS officer who pursues them, tortures his captives, and executes the residents of a tiny Norwegian village is handsome and well spoken, although thoroughly evil. The action scenes -- and there are several of them -- are subject to the usual wobbling camera and instantaneous cutting that's become so faddish. The narrative nevertheless is enthralling. When a captive suffers, he REALLY suffers.The commandos kill many Nazis, and they kill each other when they must, and they even try to kill themselves if they're about to be captured. The ex prisoner is about to cut his own throat as German soldiers approach him. We're supposed to admire the dedication and self sacrifice of the commandos while condemning any Japanese who did the same thing during the war.If you see this, you're not likely to forget it in a hurry.

This is a rather small scale intimate WWII drama about a Commando unit going to Norway to steal some radar technology from a German base there. There are gunfights but not huge battle scenes. Those expecting some super clever espionage because of Ian Fleming will be disappointed. It is a cover mission but it's not a spy yarn.A little too much time was spent on the commandos training which was tedious. More at the end about how the mission helped the war would have been better.They show Nazi atrocities towards the Norwegians. Not everyone remembers that Norway suffered during WWII.Not too many famous actors here except Sean Bean. Overall while not a must see it's an okay watch far war buffs.

The only reason I'm giving it two stars is because the photography is not as bad as most modern mash-ups of the WWII genre. I get so tired of cheesy CGI, deliberately jerky camera scenes to highlight "action" and grainy post processing.That said, this is really cruddy. Clichés cobbled from countless war classics are littered throughout this sorry mess.The ignorance of wartime vernacular is abysmal. Special ops indeed! The plot holes beggar belief. Other reviews suggest the makers simply ran out of money and had to wrap it up somehow. I think the editor closed his or her eyes and chopped at random so they could all go down the pub and forget about this waste of everyone's time.Sean, get a real job.