Plot: What’s it about?
Roland Bozz (Colin Farrell) has just joined a platoon of soldiers with a stark future, as the men within it are to be sent to Vietnam soon. This means potential injury, death, loss of friends, and more, but these men have no choice and soon enough, they’ll be shipped off to serve their country on the battlefield. But that time is still a ways off, as the soldiers need to be trained and such beforehand, so they aren’t clueless when they’re stalking through the jungles. Bozz is not pleased with his place in this scheme, as he dislikes war and has no intentions of leaving for Vietnam, at least not without one hell of a fight first. His outlook and attitude causes him a lot of trouble, as it clashes with his superiors and to a lesser degree, the other soldiers within his platoon. As time passes and the training continues, Bozz is not broken down and increases his resolve, which causes the others to come down on him even harder and in more brutal fashion. Now this platoon finds itself in the middle of the most grueling training sessions known to soldiers, but can they survive as a unit and hold fast, or will they simply fall apart in the field?
I like movies that deal with the conflict Vietnam, but after so many films have been released, I had my doubts about how original Tigerland would be. The cast was loaded with lesser known talents and at the helm was Joel Schumacher, who is often heavily criticized for his direction. But there was a certain element present that drew me in and I am very pleased I was able to see this one, as it is a terrific and very memorable motion picture. It is a shame that Tigerland was released on a small scale, as I think it could have found a larger audience and picked up some additional box office in the process of a wider release. The unknown cast added so much reality to the film, while Schumacher’s turn behind the camera was his best to date, hands down. The real star of Tigerland is Colin Farrell, who turns in a breakthrough performance and it is his work that stays with you the most, once the ending credits have rolled. This is not a big budget war flick however, although Schumacher and his crew do fantastic work in terms of making sure it looks like it was. This is a war movie in the end, but the war takes place off the battlefield, which makes for a refreshing look into the process of being a soldier. I give this movie a high recommendation and since Fox has delivered such a superb disc, this one is well worth a purchase, but skeptics should rent first.
Video: How does it look?
Tigerland is presented in 1.85:1 AVC HD transfer. This movie employs some visual tricks to attain a certain look, but even with that in mind, this is a middle of the road presentation. A certain amount of grain and softness is inherent to the source, but the visuals never stand out or hit the intended mark. I don’t think the movie looks bad here however, I just don’t think the movie looks as good as it could have.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 option is great, with a sharp and consistent audio presentation. This is a war movie, but the audio isn’t all about explosions and gunfire, so keep that in mind. But surround use is frequent and has a natural presence, which is always welcome. The music is well placed and sounds terrific, while dialogue is clear and never hard to pick up. All in all, a great soundtrack all around.
Supplements: What are the extras?
You can find an audio commentary track with director Joel Schumacher, which is an excellent track and well worth a listen. Schumacher talks about the experience of making a low budget picture, his take on the story and characters, and his general thoughts on the issues that Tigerland tackles. A very interesting and informative track, anyone who liked the film will not want to pass this option up, very cool indeed. This disc also includes a brief behind the scenes featurette, two television spots, Farrell’s audition tape, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
