Rating: 
Summary: A view from the inside
Review: HART'S WAR turns the currently-in-vogue tables of viewing the Jewish Final Solution aspect of the concentration camps and elects to explore the microcosm of US soldiers incarcerated by the Nazis of WWII. From the opening sequences which blend artfully into the credits we are introduced to Colin Farrell's character, an officer who sits comfortably at a desk behind lines, due apparently to the fact that his father has clout with the military. Very quickly Farrell becomes a fugitive from an ambush and ends up in a POW camp run by two powerful characters, Bruce Willis as the understated US oficer in charge of the POWs and Marcel Iures as the Commandant of the camp. Power struggles develop, Farrell moves gingerly into the role of a defense lawyer for an African American officer, the inevitable tunnel out of the camp toward escape is dug, etc. It is not so much the tale that is being told that is as winsome as the performances by the actors mentioned. Colin Farrell is becoming this generation's fine-tuned heroic actor, Bruce Willis manages his part without the usual wisecracking asides, and the work of Iures is extraordinary. Well photogrphed and paced, this is a very good psychological thriller. Recommended!
Rating:
Summary: An enjoyable film with strong performances
Review: First of all let's get one thing straight, although the setting of Hart's War is during World War II, this is not an action movie along the lines of Black Hawk Down or Saving Private Ryan, instead, it is more of a who-done-it type of drama film. With that out of the way, Hart's War is about the experiences of Lt. Thomas Hart during his stay at a German POW camp (the Stalag 6A) in 1944, nearing the end of the war. Inside the compound he meets Col. William McNamara, the highest ranking officer in the place, even in prison, all US soldiers and officers still answer to McNamara, and the chain of command is expected to be followed. Things start to get out of hand after two black fighter pilots enter the camp, and when one of them is accused of murder, Hart is assigned to defend him in the court martial, if he fails, the man will face the firing squad.The strongest part of Hart's War is the performances, not just by the leads but also the supporting cast. Bruce Willis proves once again that he is a talented actor, not just another action star. His portrayal of McNamara was right on, it's as if the role was tailored specifically for him, and in every scene he held a commanding presence. Colin Farrell also did a good job as Hart, compelling and measured, I really like how his character struggled between his allegiance as an officer and his duty to his client. Fairly new to Hollywood, he's definitely someone to keep an eye out for in the future. The script is another big plus for the movie, I found it ironic that these soldiers were sent to Europe to fight a war against the Nazi and the their so called ethnic cleansing, but instead, they are fighting their own racial prejudices in the POW camp. The hatred some of these enlisted men have for their fellow African American comrades was sometimes even more intense and pronounced than what they shown towards the enemies, Hart's War was able to accurately illustrate the hardships blacks have to face in the war even among allies. Top it off with excellent dialogues, Hart's War is one solid drama. The only problem I had with the movie was the ending, it's not bad, just a little unexpected, but not enough to ruin the whole experience for me. I strongly recommend Hart's War to anyone who wants a little change of pace from all the big action war films we've had (and are going to have in the upcoming months,) I sure wasn't disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Ignore the packaging; this is an enjoyable drama
Review: With Bruce Willis' name first on the cover, and his big mug looming up front, I was expecting this film to be 'Die Hard' meets 'Hogan's Heroes.' You know, 'Bruce Willis is Joe Hart, kicking some Nazi 'behind' behind enemy lines, waging his own private little war - Hart's war!' But the packaging does a great disservice to the film. First of all, Willis isn't even Hart; he's an important but sparingly used character. Colin Farrell is Hart, and he, Willis, and Howard give fine performances in this serious drama which is more about racism, cowardice, and the hypocrisies within and between otherwise good men, rather than being about gunplay. The heroics in this film are on a more subtle level. Some here have called this film historically innaccurate. That may strictly be true, but the spirit rather than the letter of the script is what's important. And when you know the true stories of WWII, truth is certainly stranger than fiction; if I were told that this WAS based on a true story, I'd have believed it. It's less crazy than a lot of films that ARE based on fact!
Rating:
Summary: Marcel Who?!!
Review: Marcel Iures , thats who! Portraying the commandant of Stalag VI, Marcel Iures steals the show from Bruce Willis , the nominal star of this unusual "war" movie.I was not sure of what to expect from this DVD other than most Bruce Willis roles are of a tough guy with some depth. The co-star , Colin Farrell , comes across as a real wimp-dimp little rich boy sent to war , inadvertantly captured in the Battle of the Bulge , interrogated , broken , and sent off to a stalag to sit out the remainder of the war. In the prison camp ,Col. McNamara , portrayed by Willis , shunts Lt. Hart , portrayed by Farrell , to the enlisted men's barracks instead of quartering him properly as an officer. Shortly thereafter , two Tuskeegee airmen (black pilots)who have been shot down are also sent to the enlisted barracks with Hart. A highly predictible racial scene ensues--an execution takes place-- and another racially inspired "setup" finds Lt. Hart as a defense counsel for the surviving black pilot. Through all these antics we observe Col. Visser (Marcel Iures) attempting to maintain order and discipline in the camp with an iron hand. As the story progresses , we see an unusual depth of character emerge from the man. In all , Iures' portrayal is what saves an otherwise somewhat weak movie. Altho' I gave this a 4 star rating , based primarily on the acting of Mr. Iures , it is probably only worthy of 3 stars otherwise. Overall an entertaining way to spend an evening at home.
Rating: 
Summary: Best Ending
Review: This movie has one of the best endings and definitely the most surprise one I've ever seen in any movie. This isn't an action war movie, it just happens to be set during WWII to make it work. It is a court case drama with a very unexpected and touching ending. It doesn't portray all Germans as animals as some movies do - it actually show some of them as humans who do care a little bit about justice. Colin Farrel does a splendid job as the role of the lead actor. Bruce Willis does better but his role is not the lead one. He does an exceptional job of letting Colin Farrel take a lot of the camera time while at the same time making the movie. Without him it couldn't have happened. Bruce Willis is exceptional and both characters will surprise you at the end. If you don't buy it it is a must see unless you can't stand courtroom drama.
Rating: 
Summary: Read the book, miss the movie
Review: I really enjoyed John Katzenbach's novel about a murder trial set in a German POW camp during World War II. The story moved well with good, three dimensional, characters. I was excited when it was announced that the rights for the movie were sold. I was somewhat apprehensive when it was announced that Bruce Willis was starring in the movie. This is not to say that I don't like Willis, just that there wasn't any character appropriate for him in the book... When I saw the trailer for the movie I was totally turned off by all the explosions. It appeared that a tight courtroom thriller was turned into "Die Hard". The trailer turned me off and I never went to see the film in the theatre. I finally saw the movie this past week and I discovered that my apprehensions and refusal to see the movie in the theatre was right. "Hart's war" is not a terrible movie - it's not great with good visuals and a comparatively weak plot (probably three stars). The problem is that the movie states that it "is based on" a great book and virtually none of the story was passed from the book to the film. Somewhere in the adaptation, Hart's character is no longer a drafted law student, there is suddenly _two_ black airmen (the book only has one) and the movie's story is more about hurting the German war effort - not about finding a murderer. None of these changes help the story and, to be honest, the movie's plot really doesn't make a lot of sense.
Rating:
Summary: It couldn't happen this way, but I loved it anyway!
Review: I enjoy war movies. This was no exception. The only problem is that I don't think this story could have ever happened. Once I realized that, I could relax and let myself be held in an iron grip of twists and turns of the plot, constant surprises throughout and an inevitable satisfying conclusion. No, this film is not primarily about an escape effort by a group of POWs in Nazi Germany as the trailer would have you believe. It's much more complex than that. It's about heroism and sacrifice, but it's also about racism among our own troops and the hard decisions that people have to make. Bruce Willis, cast as an American colonel in the prison camp, actually has the right to command his men even though they are incarcerated. He is considered the star of the film, but the real star is Colin Farrell, cast as Lieutenant Tommy Hart, whose capture and interrogation is presented in gruesome detail. By the time he arrives at the prison camp, we have already seen him under pressure and we have doubts about his strengths. The prison camp is crowded and when two African-American Tuskegee Airmen are captured, there is blatant racism among the other prisoners. When a murder occurs, Bruce Willis convinces the German commandant to allow him to conduct his own military trial right inside the prison camp. This is where reality breaks down, but the story is so intriguing that it just led me on. Another piece of great casting is that of the SS Major, played by Marcel Ivres. He plays his role with just the right amount of arrogance and contempt and the viewer gets to see him as an individual and not just a stereotype. And Terrance Dashon Howard, cast in the role of the black officer on trial, is excellent. Filmed in Prague, we are treated to the excellent cinematography we've learned to expect and the long shots of the winter landscape are excellent. The acting is consistently good, the theme modern, and the plot riveting. It's a good story, well told. If, later, it seems a little incredulous - well, who ever said a movie was supposed to be real? Some might find it too violent, but for war-film aficionados, I definitely recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Where's the history?
Review: A movie based on WW2 backdrop should at least remain somewhat historical in it's context. The implausible storyline, added with a hyped up propaganda laced motif makes for one sorry flick.
Rating:
Summary: Stalag 13 - up close & personal
Review: Well, not really Stalag 13, but the situations reminded me of the TV series. But the racism got to this redneck cowboy who stopped looking at color years ago. I guess that is one of the things about movies -- they show history. All in all it was a very good flick.
Rating:
Summary: COLIN'S MOVIE
Review: Colin Farrell is an amazing actor. In the few years since he burst on the scene in TIGERLAND, he has given us marvelous performances in films such as MINORITY REPORT, PHONE BOOTH, and THE RECRUIT. In HART'S WAR, it is heart and fierce performance that drives this well executed film. Director Gregory Hoblit (Fallen, Frequency) has orchestrated a tense, inspiring and suspenseful look at men in war. Bruce Willis also stars as Colonel McNamara, a man whose intense desire to be at war obscures his humanity and morality. Terence Howard as Lt. Scott, accused of murdering a bigoted soldier, is also brilliant in his uncompromising performance. Howard never overdoes the prejudice he faces, and is truly moving in his speech about the German POWs treatment in Alabama as compared to African-Americans. Marcel Iuries as the German commandant gives a multi-layered performance of a man driven to exert his power and yet commiserate on the agonies of war. The rest of the cast, including Sam Jaeger (Fisk) and Cole Hauser (Brendon) are perfect. The cinematography, music and editing are likewise top notch, and HART'S WAR provides us a searing, heartbreaking look at the power of honor and justice. And again shows us what a truly versatile actor COLIN FARRELL has turned out to be.
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