In The Valley of Elah Reviews

UTTER TRIPE

Don't lose two hours watching this complete boring rubbish movie. Go out and wash you car as you will get more satisfaction.

In The Valley of Elah - UTTER RUBBISH and Tediously SLOW - AVOID!!

Is this a “damning indictment of the Iraq war”, or does it raise questions of morality, or even, because it is said to be based on a true story, does it tell us anything about Iraq veterans - NO NO NO! This is tripe, masquerading as an expose of “what terrible secrets the soldiers saw and endured in Iraq”. Selling films in an attempt to extract sympathy for Iraq veterans is shameful; and even worse, is expecting us to pay for the incompetent execution of that task, directed with not an ounce of military precision or emotional drama, both of which would be essential - if justice had truly been meant to have been done to the subject matter, and commercialisation not the raison d’être. Why do they make such utter rubbish? A murder mystery or CSI it is NOT - pretentious, resoundingly yes! Tommy Lee Jones must have been desperate to even consider making this film - however, money talks and is a good persuader (sorry about the split infinitive for the purists). The disjointed storyline, which can be condensed into 2 minutes, is about Jones’ son returning from Iraq, goes AWOL, is found dead; and Jones, an ex-MP, uncovers the truth behind his son’s murder - despite lazy and politically motivated Police (military and civilian). The pauses are deafening, and the grindingly slow pace of the film nothing but tedious. You need perseverance, if, after 10/20 minutes, you can be bothered who did what to whom or, even why!! The dialogue is turgid and often pointless - but some may like the 5 minutes taken to watch Jones shave, and cut himself then put tissue on the wrong spot; and even the relentless wastage of superfluous footage (driving, coffee/bar, and office scenes) - more to pad out the film than ever enhance or aid it?

Excellent film

Holds the attention well for two hours - a story of a former army man who has already lost one son and now loses another, and seeks to uncover the truth while the army tries to stop him. Tommy Lee Jones very good in the role, and Charlize Theron plays the police officer with great restraint. Also notable for showing a slice of real America, not glamorised at all. Film strikes a good balance between mysetery and anti-war, not too obviously polemical but makes audience questioning what Iraq is doing to ordinary soldiers. I enoyed it a lot, and a shame there were 95% empty seats in the cinema

[Highly rated reviewer]

Drags I'm afraid.....

Performances fine, but the whole story at over two hours long, could have been shortened to an hour and missed out oin nothing. You will see there are a whole screenload of pauses on the phone, pauses in conversations etc etc, which are I suppposed meant to heighten the stotry, but they just pad out a reasonable telling of a worthwhile true to life story. Could definately have been better but it is still worth a watch.

[Highly rated reviewer]

amazing

slow paced: yes (

well acted: yes (amazingly well acted)

good story: yes

lots of action and gunfights: no (this isnt Crank or Die Hard 4)

thought provoking: yes (very true to life that nothing is black & white)

pretentious: no (well, anything slow paced with a message could be seen as pretentious and self rightious but i personally didnt feel this was)

well directed and shot: yes

should you watch this? only if you really appreciate films, if you just wanna chill out or enjoy a gunfight you should probably look at somthing else....but i cant recomend this highlt enough

[Highly rated reviewer]

in the valley of elah

This is not a film that should be called tripe. Excellent script, shot brilliantly, very emotive. The characterisation is great. Tommy Lee Jones gives the performance of his career, Susan Sarandon is also excellent. Although classed as a who dunnit, I feel its main point is to show how war dehumanises the slodiers who are sent out to places that most of us are lucky enough to never have to go to and experience situations that nightmares are made of. If you enjoy thought provoking films that make you think for a few minutes longer than the time it takes to remove the dvd from the player, then rent this.

good film

we really enjoyed this film, not the usual or expected USA view of war, much more personal and interesting

poor ending

Great names/actors,poor storyline,poor ending

[Highly rated reviewer]

didnt watch but....

I didnt end up watching this as my boyfriends brother watched it first and said it was a whole lot of nothing!

My boyfriend watched it and came up with the same conclusion so i never watched it i don't really recommend it!

UTTERLY SLOW AND BORING

IF YOU LIKE ACTION AND A GOOD STORY DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE. THEY ARE GOOD ACTORS WASTED. EVEN TOWARDS THE END OF THE FILM IT IS SLOW AND PREDICTABLE FOR AN EXCELLENT FILM WATCH THE BANK JOB