Rating: 
Summary: One of the best movies you've never seen
Review: Admittedly, I at first rented this movie for Elijah Wood, for whom I suffered a short obsession beginning in the summer of 2001. But, as I came to know his work, I became slightly less interested in him and more so in his films.
First of all, the acting in this movie is very good, especially for being comprised of an almost all-child cast. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that these people really are poverty-stricken Mississippians in the 1970's. The message of the movie is powerful and effective, and my belief is that it is the closest Elijah Wood ever came to Academy Award-worthy acting in his career.
In addition to incredible acting by both Wood and Kevin Costner, the film also boasts an excellent soundtrack with 60's music by artists such as the Supremes, and a score by Thomas Newman, who found more recent exposure with the films Pay it Forward and Erin Brockovich.
Do yourself a favor and see this feel-good movie about family values, and wholly, about morals. It is a great movie to sit down and watch with the kids, and with moments funny, sad, and suspenseful, it won't be boring for anyone.
Rating:
Summary: "The War" is worth fighting for.
Review: Being a major Elijah Wood fanatic,I have quite a bit of experience in judging his films."The War"(starring Elijah Wood,Kevin Costner,and Lexi Randall)is,in my opinion,one of,if not the best films he has ever made.Set in post-Vietnam Mississippi,"The War" not only addresses the stresses of the father(Costner)but the stress under which his children(Wood and Randall) have to contend with.The phrase "The War" not only refers to the Vietnam War,but the feud between two lower-class Southern families(or mainly,their children).Even though the big name star in "The War" is Kevin Costner,the show is stolen by the children.Elijah Wood(Lord Of The Rings) and Lexi Randall(Sarah,Plain and Tall)portray adolecsent siblings who are dealing with the anguish their father is feeling and their own anguish within their feud.In my opinion,"The War" is THE family film,and is for anyone who has a minimal amount of taste.
Rating: 
Summary: Flawed, but a good addition to a family's collection
Review: Depending on your reason for watching or buying this movie, it's either a 3 star (average) or 5 star (good deal). This is a movie I wouldn't rent for pure entertainment, but one I wanted to own as part of the family library. The object of watching this particular movie isn't entertainment, but education. If you put aside the second storyline in this movie (Kevin Costner's war vet psychological flashback bit), it becomes a great movie. The second plot - perhaps added because the filmakers thought adults needed something grown-up to entertain them (the movie would have been fine without, as was Stand By Me) or maybe added to make Costner's role a bit meatier - actually takes away from the movie's tone and clear message. War is a dangerous solution to problems that could be dealt with in other ways. Set in the South sometime in the 70's, Elijah Wood and his siblings are in the midst of an on-going battle with neighborhood bullies, whose father is a racist and bully. While the father struggles with the aftermath of being a failure at war - the bullies and their dad label him as a coward, and in their view, he supports this by teaching his kids that fighting isn't the way to solve problems (although in one scene he loses it for a moment) - the kids begin a small war over some turf they've built with supplies pilfered from the bully dad's junkyard. The highlight of the film is the kids battle, shown in slow motion and with sound effects of a real war, which make it clear that we're comparing this dangerous fight the kids are having with the external war their father fought. The attempt to give almost equal play to Costner's inner struggle takes away from the movie, if you're looking at it as a pure entertainment piece. I push it aside as a minor annoyance, and my son focuses on the kids. It is in our family library because we like books about war that can be viewed by the family and encourage conversation. It doesn't have to be perfect (and the acting and filming in this movie are well above average), it just has to help with the family dialogue!
Rating:
Summary: My favorite Movie
Review: Elijah Wood deserved an academy award for his performace in this movie. This movie is a must see for all families. It has great lessons to learn. I make everybody watch it if they havn't seen it yet.
Rating:
Summary: Elijah W. is amazing in "The War"!
Review: Elijah Wood is protraying his best character he has ever done, His emotions are very real and he seems like he real is Stu. I cannot even belive that he is from Iowa and not from Texas. That is one of the reasons why I love EW and I want to marry him.
But I think that Kevin Costner could have done a better job. He was as good as Elijah Wood or the actress who did the mom. It would have been better if Mel Gibson did the father.
But I belive that Elijah Wood was the biggest and best actor in the entire movie.
Rating:
Summary: It was one of the best movies I have ever seen!
Review: Elijah Wood is the best actor for his age that I have ever seen. Being his age,I also find him highly attractive. He has to deal with the stresses of his father's postramatic war syndrom. He does a very good job of actually acting. Kevin Costner is also terrific!
Rating:
Summary: A film that can make a family come together!
Review: From the director of "Fried Green Tomatoes" brings you this realistic masterpiece of different emotions a typical southern family could have experinced in the early seventies relating to friendships and duals of both the adolescences and adults. With an outstanding soundtrack very fitting for the times I invite you along with others to sit down and enjoy this remarkable film with a talented cast which will in turn give you a new perception on life!
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Tale of Tragedy and Family Ties
Review: I cannot get enough of this movie. So many raw emotional scenes, there is not one message in this movie because it reflects the confusion of war. War kills the very thing we fight for, and here in this movie is a man who has been through the war but is determined to keep the family ties alive. Beautiful, beautiful movie.
Rating:
Summary: Best Movie!
Review: I have seen this movie 6 times. This movie touches on everything that is truely important in my life. Each time I watch it, I have to marvel at how beautifully it is able to illustrate the grounding truth that is what I value in my life! Today is my Birthday and my daughter is getting me this movie because she knows it is one of the few movies that will always bring a tear to my eye.
Rating:
Summary: Best Movie!
Review: I have seen this movie 6 times. This movie touches on everything that is truely important in my life. Each time I watch it, I have to marvel at how beautifully it is able to illustrate the grounding truth that is what I value in my life! Today is my Birthday and my daughter is getting me this movie because she knows it is one of the few movies that will always bring a tear to my eye.
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