Screen Scene

  New Line Cinema Denzel Washington stars
in New Line Cinema’s current action-thriller "John Q."

“JOHN Q” Directed by Nick Cassavetes
Starring: Denzel Washington, Robert Duvall, Kimberly Elise, Eddie
Griffin

It’s been a long time since a movie has made its audience
think about today’s society.

In “John Q.,” Denzel Washington’s character,
John Q. Archibald, holds the emergency room of a hospital hostage
in exchange for a heart transplant that will save his son’s
life.

John Q. is pushed into this situation because his insurance does
not cover the expenses. His factory job income is not enough for
his son to get on the donor’s list. A father is given few
options in a pressed amount of time.

It’s a rarity when a Hollywood film creates a voice that
expresses a common social issue affecting many working class
people. Street life isn’t glamorized, nor is the rough
necking of the ‘hood. This is about honest people making
honest livings who cannot afford to take their children to see the
doctor.

Medical coverage has always been a topic of debate in America
and the movie hopes to stir people into changing the current
situation. The movie itself poses no solutions; rather, it looks to
the audience to take the next step in handling the welfare of
American health.

A problem arises with the film’s credibility, however,
because as usual, Hollywood steps into an already unrealistic
situation. With all the high-tech security measures these days, can
one normal guy really hold a room full of hostages while Eddie
Griffin is using his cockiness to its full extent? Hollywood again
manages to save the day.

The movie continues down a suspenseful path of challenges that
John Q. has to face, including the demands made by the police
hostage negotiator, played by Robert Duvall, and the police chief,
played by Ray Liotta.

At the conclusion of the dramatic thriller, the audience is
given the opportunity to decide who the real hero of the movie is:
the public servant police chief or the working-class family
man.

Michelle Gonzales

“Hart’s War” Directed by Gregory
Hoblit Starring: Bruce Willis, Colin Farrell, Terrence Dashon
Howard

Overdone. Simply overdone. “Hart’s War” had a
decent amount of potential, yet tried to stuff too many themes into
this all-too-short two-hour film.

In the midst of World War II, an American lieutenant by the name
of Tommy Hart (Colin Farrell) gets captured by the German army and
is brought to a P.O.W. camp. All of a sudden, this ex-law student
finds himself in the midst of a racist dilemma where he must defend
a black air force pilot, Lincoln Scott (Terrence Dashon Howard),
who is accused of murdering a white soldier. No, really, Hart has
to defend him. They set up a courtroom for the court martial in
camp, conveniently with the approval of German commandant SS Major
Wilhelm Visser (Marcel Iures).

Already apparent are the diverse topics of racism, World War II,
and the fact that this takes place in a P.O.W. camp. Then newly
introduced are all the ideals that surround typical Hollywood
military films, ideals like courage, honor and sacrifice. There are
simply too many overbearing themes in this film. Take away three of
these issues and there could still be enough with which to
construct a decent movie.

Think of “A Few Good Men,” a nice military courtroom
drama flick. Now add “Men of Honor,” and its issues of
segregation and racism in the military to the mix. Throw in the
pride and honor of “Glory,” and in that jumbled mess
“Hart’s War” can be found.

The movie features fairly good acting and directing skills
though. Bruce Willis portrays his usual gritty tough guy role with
his average-Joe flair. Colin Farrell does a decent job as a
straight-edge wuss, and Terrence Dashon Howard plays the underdog
victim with the appropriate mixture of innocence and disbelief.

Of course, overall the film is fine ““ to not feel
sensitive towards these issues would imply cold-heartedness- but
too much of it borders on the side of cheesiness.
“Hart’s War” is indeed a war, but probably one
more along the lines of a debate over whether to take the movie
seriously.

Kenny Chang