Hilary Duff Movie:

Editorial Review:
WAR INC. (BLURAY) (BLU-RAY DISC)

Description of War, Inc. [Blu-ray]:
A wobbly mix of violence and sentiment, War, Inc. takes up where Grosse Pointe Blank left off. A conscience-stricken killer in the previous film, producer/co-writer Cusack now plays an international assassin. In Joshua Seftel's political satire, corporations operate like governments. In the volatile nation of Turaqistan, Cusack's hot sauce-addicted Brand Hauser sets his sights on Omar Sharif--the oil baron, not the actor (it's never clear why this is meant to be funny). As a cover, Hauser passes as the producer for an economic trade show with fellow operative Marsha (Joan Cusack) acting as his assistant. Trained by Southern smoothie Walken (Ben Kingsley) in his CIA days (depicted though flashbacks), Hauser now takes orders from an oily CEO (Grosse Pointe co-star Dan Aykroyd). Offing Sharif, however, turns out to be harder than expected. Hauser's obstacles include left-wing journalist Natalie Hegalhuzen (Marisa Tomei) and foul-mouthed pop tart Yonica Babyyeah (Hilary Duff, erasing innocent images of Lizzy McGuire). Cusack and his crew come up with a few clever ideas, but too many crass gags blunt their thesis about military contractors run amok. Pitched somewhere between Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove and Mike Judge’s Idiocracy, War, Inc. registers as more of a miss than a hit. On the plus side, Cusack and Tomei have a snappy rapport; it's the more over-the-top performers who look out of place, especially Ms. Cusack and Kingsley, though the latter's deft turn as a boozy hit man in the overlooked You Kill Me almost makes up for this misfire. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

War, Inc. [Blu-ray] Reviews:
Comedy from today's headlines
2008-06-20 - I almost skipped this one as a political annoyance until I saw the star power supporting it: Ben Kingsley, Marisa Tomei (a personal favorite), John Cusack, Joan Cusack, and more. That cast simply won't let a movie be bad. They couldn't if they tried.

Despite an apparent attempt to be ordinary entertainment, this one rises above all the usual categories. Do you want a cynical mockumentary of Haliburton-style war profiteering? Got it. Do you want pointed jabs at operations funded by Congress's "black budget?" Check. Do you want satirical assaults on simplistic sloganeering from every possible direction? It's there. Add in a babe like a pre-meltdown Britney but with hotter hotpants and a bucket of slapstick, and you're headed in the right direction. For example, a major character's name is "Uckmee Fay." Speakers of pig-Latin, please take note.

They set the tone from the very first scene. Chevy Chase delivers a "Mission Impossible" style of assignment to a high-class assassin, via video, while seated on American Standard's finest. Later, Joan Cusack shows up in the role that she has perfected - the prim, cheery, and murderous psychopath. There's a lot more, too. I laughed all through, even (maybe especially) when I knew that outrage would have been the "appropriate" response.

This one really grows on me the more I think about it. It doesn't whap you upside the head with humor, politics, or even its sappy moments. Instead, it tickles you with not-quite-too-much of social commentary, current events, goofy jokes, visual gags, and enough more to hold it all together. I liked it more a few hours later than when I walked out the door, and lots of movies have the opposite effect on me.

-- wiredweird, reviewing the theatrical release

PS: See it some time soon. The topical humor in this one might age badly unless the The Powers That Be keep providing background to preserve its freshness.

Not good, but not horrible either.
2008-06-14 - As I was I watching this film, I couldn't really say whether I liked it or not. It certainly packed jab after satiric jab, but these jabs only sometimes hit their mark. The movie suffered from a non-cohesive script, but certain performances stand out. Marisa Tomei is well-cast and effective as a left-wing journalist. John Cusack is always likeable. Joan Cusack gives a funny performance as John's bizarre secretary. The standout performance is Hilary Duff. Her over the top accent and antics were perfect for the cartoonish character she played. Her pop songs were hilarious, especially "I Want To Blow You (Up)." These delightful two minutes were easily the best in the film. Too bad the filmmakers couldn't sustain this inspiration. The last half of the movie is much less effective, devolving into typical plot-line cliches.
There were some gags that worked. The poster for "Democracy Light" cigarettes featuring a rugged construction worker smoking and smiling was humorous. The rampaging tanks with "Golden Palace Casino" advertising on it was pretty good. The costuming was impeccable. There were plenty of scenes, though, that didn't work. Troops (in the film they are hired mercenaries, but the intent is obviously to equate them with Americans) wantonly and enthusiasticly slaughter civilians. Look, I'm no fan of the war in Iraq, but come on! Instead of smart satire, the director smears it in our face. The exchange towards the end between Cusack and the president of Turaqistan ended a little awkwardly. {Maybe I missed something there}.
The storyline featuring Duff slackened when they Disney-fied her character. Ben Kingsley was flagrantly wasted in a thin, ridiculous role.
The filmmakers attempted a "Non-Hollywood" ending, but to me it just felt uncalled for. For a movie that occasionally was, and clearly supposed to be, cutting (and funny), it sometimes felt compromised and watered down, afraid to go too deep. It's politics were very transparent seeing as how no liberals were ever satirized. Oh, well. Many people apparently loved this movie. Maybe I'm the one who's wrong.

Name names, no games
2008-06-12 - If I say what I think Amazon won't publish it?
These times summed up without naming names.

Obscene profits on death by American corporations
with political ties to well known public officials.
I actually don't think it is all that funny
or I'd give it five stars.


WAR, Inc.
2008-06-09 - Based on the previews and interviews I have seen for Cusack's WAR, Inc., I expect this to be one of the best and most important movies of the entire millennium (so far!). Looking forward to seeing it !!!

I think it'll be up there with Pirates of the Caribbean!! At least in my book.

HILARY duff rocks
2008-05-14 - finally hilary duff isin a movie ibeen waiting for her shes a beautiful young actrees that is why igive her a 5 and the great cast. yay for hilary she rocks.