Heartbreak Ridge

Crusty Clint is still not to be messed with. One of Clint Eastwood's most accessible 80s movies, Heartbreak Ridge sees the gruff actor on very fine form, this even though the "war is hell" core that fills out the last quarter via a rather silly gun toting rescue mission in Grenada does lack conviction. The film wins its stripes courtesy of James Carabatsos' razor witty script and the sub plot involving ex wife Aggie (Marsha Mason). For all its macho posturing and training routine shenanigans (you will wish we could have stayed at boot camp once Grenada arrives), at its heart is a very tender movie about a man who can't let the career go, and simultaneously the wife (ex) who simply lived hell each day as her man was off at war (Korea/Vietnam et al). That said, it's the comedy that has made the film one of the most quoted film's of big Clint's career. Be it Eastwood himself tossing off witty put downs to his rag tag band of men, or the likes of Mario Van Peebles hilariously looking like some punk version of Michael Jackson, there's a lot of fun to be had in every other frame. There's even a guy here whose thighs are bigger than Sly Stallone! So yes there's many stereotypes here, none more so than Everett McGill's fresh out of school prig Major Powers, and for sure the ending is never in any doubt what so ever. But get in line and enjoy the fun whilst noticing that it does have under the surface themes well worth time investment as well. 7/10

<em>'Heartbreak Ridge'</em> is a rather good war film, one I enjoyed a fair bit. Clint Eastwood, to no-one's surprise, is the best performer from the onscreen talent, though I did like the support cast - namely Mario Van Peebles, Boyd Gaines and Arlen Dean Snyder. The plot is, although obvious in where it is heading, fun and holds one's attention. The score doesn't particularly stand out but there is one part around the middle which is neat. Some of the dialogue is a little cringe, but there are some good lines in there for Mr. Eastwood to quip.

Given the amount of homophobic/erotic banter going on here, it might have been more memorable if Clint Eastwood had actually had a gay character save the day in this otherwise bland and forgettable version of the “I wanna be your drill instructor” movie. He’s the sergeant who is returned to active duty, much to the chagrin of his boss “Powers” (Everett McGill) who reckons he’s an old relic that ought to be put out to pasture, or better yet - put in jail. He is given a recon squadron to knock into shape, and that is obviously going to be quite a task. They care for authority and discipline even less that he does (unless he’s wielding it, of course) and with the lively “Stitch” (Mario Van Peebles) - with whom our gunny has some previous, and the mighty “Swede” amongst their ranks, they have no intention of toeing his line. Jeopardy? Don’t be daft. There isn’t an hint of the stuff as this rapidly becomes something akin to, but much less funny than, “Private Benjamin” (1980). Everyone goes mega gung-ho and it all culminates in a full scale, all out, assault on the Cuban-staffed, Soviet-armed, rebels on Grenada. Now there are a few funny scenes here - not least their hapless lieutenant (Boyd Gaines), who has no more active duty experience than I have, trying to call in a missile strike using a landline and a credit card, but the rest of this is about as formulaic as you can get. Eastwood owns it, but it’s all too derivative - there’s even an ex-wife (Martha Mason) to win back, and Oliver Stone it isn’t.