Thank God for Miracles.
Added 11/4/2009
I agree that the Miracle of St. Anna actors used some vernacular that was not common for that time period and that the actions of the African American soldiers in dealing with white American were also questionable. During this time period you must remember that African Americans were still being lynched by whites, segregation was acceptable in many areas; African Americans that stood up for themselves were regularly and severely punished. I believe Spike Lee may have brought in a little creativity to some of the scenes (just like most movies), however I thought the movie was very good. My father served in World War II. He spoke regularly of the mistreatment by white officers and white civilians and how this mistreatment made people of color carry heavy burdens. African American men (and most people who were mistreated for centuries) were not allowed to release any disgruntled feelings on their nemesis, without vengeance.
Again, I enjoyed the movie; the cinematography was just breath taking. I enjoyed the relationship the Chocolate giant had developed with the little Italian boy. What happened to Hector at the end is the indication of the mental troubles many veterans experienced then and now. I recommend that others judge the movie for themselves.
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Trash and rubbish
Added 9/17/2009
This story had so much potential. I am shocked how poor this film is. It is a just a insult to the viewer and even more of an insult to black soldiers of WWII. The opening of the made little sense nor had any reality as to detective work, or hard work of a reporter. Just fodder for some reason. As the story progresses it continues to make little sense, is disjointed, stumbles around with incredibly poor dialog to the point it gets boring! The movie is ridiculous. I watched about half,decided to read reviews which are equally disappointed. I decided to throw the DVD in the trash where it belongs. This movie is rubbish.
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Blacks in WWII
Added 9/6/2009
Enjoyable movie about Black Soldiers in WWII. I thought it was a little too long but it held my interest for the whole 3 hrs. I am a Black history buff and a retired soldier and I thought the movie was accurate. Since the movie started near the ending and worked back to the beginning I was lost for a while. It was a breath of fresh air to see a war movie where Blacks were not shown as servants or not shown at all as a part of the war effort. I especially enjoyed the scene where it was shown the racism in this country that the soldiers had to endure just to get to the war to fight. Spike Lee did a great job and I hope others follow in his foot steps and let the world know of other contributions we made in WWII.
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not perfect but moving and thought provoking
Added 9/2/2009
I saw this movie last night and cannot get it out of my head. I understand that many "war buffs" may watch war movies in order to see if the most acurate weapons are used and if the uniforms are correct etc. but I can assure you that most moviegoers do not have the slightest idea about these things. The portrayal of the racism that existed in the US Army was shocking to me though I have to admit that when confronted with it after the initial shock wore off I was not surprised. I agree that there was a somewhat chaotic and disjointed feeling to the story but I must wonder if that was not intended. War is chaotic and random and senseless and disjointed and maybe that feeling is intended by the director. I would have liked more character development. A lot of questions were left unanswered and that bothered me: where was the statue head on the beach at the end of the movie from- how did it get there? What happened to Hector after he met up with his benefactor on the beach (and how was he able to fly out of the country after posting bail)? How did the boy survive the war? Was he actually killed in the final battle scene and then somehow revived? Was that the miracle? What were the other miracles? Why did Renata sleep with Bishop when she seemed to have a crush on the other guy?(that made no sense to me whatsoever)In spite of my unanswered questions and confusion I found the overall message of the movie moving and haunting. The relationship between the "chocolate giant and the boy was beautiful.
The scene of the massacre at St. Anna was riveting and horrifying. The story of the resistance fighters was inspiring. I also learned about the history of the Buffalo Soldiers- which I am embarrased to say I knew nothing about. The scene of the racism in the roadside ice cream shop also blew me away. When I am watching a movie I guess I don't pull it apart and wonder if soldiers would have spoken the way they were speaking or if it would have been possible to speak back to a commanding officer. It seems to me that people who view movies this way are just sitting there looking for mistakes and that is not a way to watch a movie. If you want total historical accuracy go to a museum or watch the History channel. Overall- it was a movie which taught me, made me think and feel strong emotions. I would recommend it and I would watch it again.
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Too Many Things Going On
Added 8/25/2009
With all respect to the filmmakers including the director Spike Lee, "Miracle at St. Anna" is a big misfire. I don't say the film is unwatchable, but after sitting through the overlong film that deals with such important historical events as the "Buffalo Soldiers," all African-American regiments in the U.S. army, my impression was simply this: "What is the point?"
The film begins with a murder at a post office in New York City in 1983. Before a rookie news reporter, the arrested elder postal worker Aubrey Stamps (Derek Luke) recounts his experiences during the WWII in Italy, 1944, when he and three other black soldiers were trapped in a small village while fighting the German army. The frame story is a bit too long, but effective enough to lead us to the story within it.
"Miracle at St. Anna" is part a war movie with several combat scenes, which are pretty bloody. But basically the film is about the four soldiers (played by Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, Laz Alonso and Omar Benson Miller), and a group of Italians they encounter. There are a few subplots including a strange boy who seems to speak with his invisible friend. Private Sam Train (Omar Benson Miller who looks like young Forest Whitaker) tries to protect him.
I know the film is based on a work of fiction (by James McBride and the screenplay was adapted by the writer too), not a documentary about true events in Italy during WWII and the "Buffalo Soldiers." Also, I understand it is only natural that the story revolves around the four fictional soldiers. We need someone we can relate to.
Unfortunately in this film there is none we can relate to. These characters - most Italians and Germans too - are all types at best, conventional and flat, repeatedly used in other films. The narrative is also confusing with one flashback within flashback.
With its rambling narrative and too many cameos (talented actors like John Leguizamo appear briefly, apparently only to prolong the story) that are detracts the viewers from the main story, "Miracles at St. Anna" is a typical example of too many things going on, blurring the meaning of the "miracle" of the title, and more importantly, the historical importance of the "Buffalo Soldiers."
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