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Men of Honor (Full-Screen Edition)

Men of Honor (Full-Screen Edition)

List Price: $14.98
Your Price: $13.48
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Has its faults but comes out as a highly recommendable film.
Review: I'll admit I was not really enjoying Men of Honour for the first 20 minutes. I thought it was quite repetitive and I felt like I'd seen it all before. However, as the film starts to progress, it just becomes more and more likeable. The star direction starts to shine through and the story of a courageous man starts to become more and more engaging. The film is too long and sometimes loses focus of who it's honouring, but remains extremely enjoyable and well-written diving flick. I thought the performances were absolutely amazing. Robert DeNiro is an absolute stunner, going through his characters stages and emotions like no other actor good, while Cuba Gooding, Jr. succeeds more than anyone else in the movie. His performance is, quite frankly, a masterpiece. He is this navy man. I believed his determination and no-one could've done better. Hats off to the actors! There were some very enthralling sequences like when Gooding, Jr's character stays underwater for 9 hours, 13 minutes just to become a diver and when he tries to beat DeNiro's character in a breath-holding competition. I sure have a lot of good things to say about this film but it has its flaw and will not appeal to every viewer. But I won't spoil this review by giving out bad brochures, so just go and see it and enjoy it. It's worth the money and your time.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Oh What Could Have Been
Review: Carl Brashear is a true American Hero. After watching this movie, I was so inspired that I took it upon myself to do a little research. As much as it is an unbelievable accomplishment for Mr. Brashear to have overcome extreme obstacles (starting with racism and leading to amputation of his leg), the disappointment lies once again in Hollywood's need to sensationalize rather than tell it like it is.

If I wanted a inspirational movie based on fiction, I would have rented the Karate Kid I through IV (wax on, wax off Danielson),The Best of the Best (Do it!!), Over the Top (Lincoln Hawk) or not to forget Cole Trickle's inspiring portrayal in Days of Thunder (oops I meant Tom Cruise as Cole Trickle).

In all seriousness, Mr. Brashear is a true American Hero and I look forward to sharing his real life story with my three sons. Remember, a son never forgets. My sons will never forget the true heroism of Mr. Brashear. They do not need Hollywood to appreciate his efforts.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: true story
Review: Men of Honor is a true story. It tells how one man's determation will take him. With that determation hebecame a Navy diver.

What intrests me is the truth in the story how a colored diver became a Master Chief or (something like that.) The navy wouldn't let a black man become a Navy diver because of his color. But Carl kept on tring and tring until he did it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Old-Fashioned Inspirational Story With Great Performances
Review: This movie stars two great actors, De Niro and Gooding, Jr., as Navy Divers after WWII. Carl Brashear, the son of a sharecropper, has joined the Navy with a promise to his dad to be something. After seeing Diver Billy Sunday in action, he sees his dream, and so begins this movie that sparkles with excellent performances by its leads and its script is well-written. The two meet again in a camp where Sunday is the commander. Although he respects Brashear, his boss orders him to flunk Carl. After going through all manner of hardships, he graduates. Then he is thrust into another dilemma as he loses his leg and must fight to stay where he is and achieve his dreams. A wonderful movie that feels like an old-fashioned drama, Men of Honor is an easy movie to watch, has a high entertainment value, and its high production values and inspirational message give it four stars.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Not wonderful, but definately worth your time.
Review: When I first got my DVD player one of the first DVD's I ever took the pleasure of wathcing was Men of Honor, which I did not see in theatres. The movie had its sappy scenes that sort of made me roll my eyes because they where stamped with the HOLLYWOOD seal of sappiness. That did not ruin this movie though. I thought Brashear's romantic life was definately a great side-plot to this movie and it sort of was a good breath of fresh air from all the hard-**s Navy stuff. I do respect Carl Brashear for what he did (even if the movie may have exaggerated it, I don know if it did or not) by watching this film. He was another brave African American that broke down racial barriers. This move is really pretty good, and every slacker in the United Staes should be forced to see it. :)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: My type of movie
Review: I loved this film, and so I had to run out and buy thr DVD...

Gooding Jr. and Di Nero were fantastic, as were the other supporting actors. And for once, I didn't feel short changed in the conclusion of the film. It was over at just the right time.

Di Nero plays the role of a diving instructor/mentor to Gooding, the first African American to be permitted into Navy diving school in its history. As you can imagine, its a story of perserverence, emotional and physical. I can't imagine someone not enjoying such a film.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Valiant Acting Despite Lackluster Writing and Direction
Review: I can't fault Robert DeNiro or Cuba Gooding, Jr. As usual, they give a film everything they've got. But there's only so far actors can take a film on their own when they are working with C- material. This is a labored, plodding, sentimental look at a Navy instructor (DeNiro), who is a terrible bigot, decades ago. He gets the first black man in his diving course and is expected to fail him. The man (Gooding) is so earnest, hardworking and so "Navy" that DeNiro begins to be troubled by his proposed course of action. Every cliche scene that has been used in the movies is trotted out here and I am going to avoid seeing any more of director George Tillman, Jr.'s films as a result. One wonders with all of the clout DeNiro has in the film industry why he took this poor a vehicle for his talent.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A bit hokey, but compelling.
Review: Good beating-the-odds story with some good performances from Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Robert DeNiro. A bit sappy at times, but it's ultimately compelling and moving. Have your hanky ready for the ending.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: a 2 1/2 star movie for phoniness
Review: This movie looked really good to me because I like those dramatic military films that focus more on a good message or pride instead of documenting how bloody the battle was. And it has De Niro and Gooding Jr. in it who I like. Unfortunately this movie lacked that great climactic achievement and genuineness for me that makes movies special. In this movie, Gooding's upbringing and ideals make every obstacle (like dealing with his pressures to pass a test) hugely dramatic and important.. Which no doubt they were, but mainly only to him in his own mind. They weren't the kinds of scenes that make a movie a "moving" motion picture to me. Like many movies, it started well and sort of fell apart at the end trying to chase down all the loose ends and then complicating it by making new ones.

And I really lost it for this movie towards the end when the "new blood" Navy leaders began setting ridiculous rules that just made it seem fake. I mean, in my mind if the honor is so secure, how do leading Navy officials who are evil get in (or keep ones who are crazy and who sit in their rooms all day)? Just silly after awhile... ("I wrote the new rule book.." as De Niro sits down.. stupid) In the end of this movie, it was Gooding's character who maintained honor while the Navy didn't, and I'm sure the Navy's courts never lost honor in real life. The final climactic scene? Gooding walks 12 steps in a 300lb. suit to get Master Diver status as De Niro yells at his face in a Navy courtroom while a nerdy Navy judge changes rules as they go, trying to fail Gooding from getting Master Diver title.. meanwhile there's De Niro's wife who has nothing to do with anything adding drama, sitting next to Gooding's wife and kids, acting as cheerleaders... In a Navy courtroom? It's pretty nuts, and lost credibility with me.

But it was well acted, and the sets were very nice, a great overall message, everything seemed authentic... Except the important stuff.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: too much of a good thing?
Review: This is a good film and you will like both, the story and the actors' performance. Unfortunately, too much of (unnecessary) patriotism is spoiling part of the enjoyment. Otherwise, the film is well-made, great settings, great costumes, great casting. Robert de Niro is delivering his usual high-quality self and Cuba Gooding is convincingly determined to succeed at his quest. Try it out and see for yourself!


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