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‘Stop Loss’ offers a glimpse into Iraq War
“You fought for America. You fought for family. You fought for freedom. You gave everything. They want more.”
BY CARLY McLAIN
STATESMAN STAFF WRITER
ISSUE 17/27
The statements above shown in the “Stop-loss” trailer represent what Brandon King, the main character, is feeling throughout the movie. King, played by Ryan Philippe, completed over 150 combat missions for the U.S. army in Iraq and on the day that he was supposed to get out, he is stop-lossed, which means that he was “drafted” to go on another tour. Angered by his belief that the Army wasn’t fulfilling its contract, he commits insubordination and ends up hitting two fellow soldiers.
The events that follow are both dramatic and unsettling. As King runs from his duty to serve his country, he tries to make his way to Washington, D.C., to talk to his senator about getting free. All the while, he and his fellow soldiers, Steve Shriver (played by Channing Tatum) and Tommy Burgess (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) deal with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the horrors of war. This leads to fights, marriage endings and even death.
“Stop-loss,” directed by Kimberly Pierce who also directed “Boys don’t cry,” is a movie that is both entertaining and real. The scenes from war can make the viewer recoil at the destruction and loss, while the emotions that Philippe, Tatum and Gordon-Levitt display with their characters’ reactions can make the viewer weep.
“Stop-loss” uses fictional characters to portray the reactions of stop-lossed soldiers with such drama that all the politics that are mentioned are down played. This dramatic movie successfully portrays its characters’ helplessness and frustrations with the situations that they are in. This movie is rather good, but be forewarned: There are graphic scenes of war and death.
Remember every Thursday is college night at Marcus Duluth 10, located in Canal Park, just bring your college ID and get in for matinee price.
