PopSyndicate.com

Both the picture itself and its DVD release represent imbalanced production, each a sample of both potential and negligence.

The Film – Directed by Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don’t Cry), Stop-Loss squarely straddles the perimeter that separates compelling right-there docu-cinema from histrionic been-there-seen/heard-that. Its depiction of war in action (which constitutes only the opening scene and occasional flashbacks) is astutely shaped and achieves unexpected realism in a realm between Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down and Sam Mendes’ Jarhead, neither of which, however, Stop-Loss challenges in a theatrical sense otherwise. But it never means to. Instead, this seldom dull, seldom great, mostly mediocre work in twenty-five-and-under right-wing protesting means to be a human story founded on the basis of the war in Iraq. And it half succeeds—it’s no doubt a humanly endeavor (and it is clearly established on the U.S.’s current conflicts abroad and with her soldiers at home), but it’s more sentimental than dramatic, and what it lacks in writing isn’t helped by Peirce’s patchy tending or, worse yet, its mournfully submissive conclusion. Augmenting the military’s stop-loss policy as an unheard-of ordeal (it was instituted directly following the Vietnam War) and employing it as a pivot from which the movie swings every which way, Stop-Loss is specifically for the generations of late—presented by MTV Films, it makes no attempt to conceal its target audience, either (not a judgment, just an observation)—and its style of storytelling and cast of actors (which includes the always-pedestrian Ryan Phillippe, Channing Tatum, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Charlize Theron doppelganger Abbie Cornish) molds to said demographic unwaveringly, and will likely appeal to few of those not a part of it. I can only assume that’s the reason why, as a twentysomething mylself, despite all that Stop-Loss fumbles, I couldn’t avoid its small charm, which is big enough, by the disparity among ants, to condone a wary recommendation. 3 stars

The Extras – This single-disc DVD doesn’t pile on the extras, but it definitely doesn’t short customers of the product, either. Feature-length director and co-writer (Mark Richard) commentary accent a noteworthy supply of additional material, which also includes The Making of Stop-Loss, A Day in Boot Camp (which chronicles the actors’ journey through standard army training in a 10-min. span), and a dozen deleted scenes (which are also available with commentary by Kim Peirce, who satisfyingly notes the very reasons they were cut from the theatrical release). Previews (Star Trek, Iron Man) are supplementary as well. 3 stars

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