Review by Don Guillory
As children, we all imagine going on a treasure hunt or adventure. In The Monuments Men, we bear witness to one of the greatest treasure hunts in recent history. The Monuments Men is based on the true story of a team of Art Historians and Architects who are tasked by President Roosevelt during WWII with locating and rescuing pieces of art from the Nazis. The challenge for these men is that they are put upon this task to search for these artifacts, many of which are trapped behind enemy lines.
It becomes a race not only to find the pieces but to prevent their destruction at the hands of the German Army under orders of Hitler himself. The film demonstrates that culture and history are vital to civilization’s memory. With a war of this scale, The Monuments Men demonstrates one of the many aspects of humanity that was endangered. It also reminds audiences that there are many stories still be told from the World War II era. The performances of Bill Murray, John Goodman, and Bob Balaban outshine that of George Clooney Matt Damon and Cate Blanchett. Despite this being an all-star cast, it does not detract from the story and the way that it is portrayed on screen. Audiences will find themselves emotionally connected to some of the characters, images, and the overall story.
4/5
Second Review by Neil Jordan
Greetings & Salutaitons Fellow Movie Viewers!
Today, i’ve got a different kind of movie to tell you about and ‘yes’, this is one of
those RARE occasions where i’m not reviewing an action movie and or one that includes
Jason Statham! *laughs*
Today we have the latest project from George Clooney and his friend Matt Damon (perfect
Eric Cartmen impersonation).
‘The Monuments Men’, being released in the Untied States friday February 7th, stars
George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Cate Blanchett, Hugh Bonneville,
Bob Balaban, Jean Dujardin, Sam Hazeldine, and Dimitri Leonidas.
Set in the months nearing the end of World War 2 and based on true events,
‘The Monuments Men’ tells the story of the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program.
The elite platoon compromised of art scholars, museum directors, curators, architects,
and historians assembled by FDR and tasked with going behind enemy lines in order to try
and save artisitc, cultural, and historical works from being plundered and or destroyed
by the Nazis as they flee occupied territories in the closing months of the second world
war.
I have to be honest … this dramatic comedy, directed and co-written by George Clooney
and based on the book by Robert M. Edsel, is less intense than the premise and the trailer
let on. One has to remember that this is a ‘comedy-drama’. So don’t go in thinking it’s
another ‘Saving Private Ryan’. Throughout the film, the important task this group is
undertaking is always front and center … to recover and save items that represent
1,000 years of art and culture. Not just from being destroyed by the fleeing Nazis, but
also from the Allies pursuing them into the heart of Germany.
The movie starts off a but slow and takes a bit of time focusing on the group being
assembled to carry out this imporant task. At some points, it kind of fizzles out.
You anticpate these build-ups, but then it’s kind of like, “What Happened?”
The acting as great and the comedic bits definitely leave you laughing and wanting more.
It’s clear that George Clooney is NOT an amature director by any means, but the movie
has just one too many points where it kind of fizzels out. I enjoyed this movie personally,
but i’d recommend picking it up on Netflix rather than catching in theaters. Stay home,
avoid this harsh winter we’re dealing with, put it in your Netfliz que and fire up some
popcorn.
I’d give the film a rating of 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.
This is your friendly neighborhood freelance photographer and fellow movie-goer
The CameraMan and on behalf of Skewed & Reviewed, thanks for reading and we’ll see you
at the movies!
