Monica Bellucci Movie:

				Salesrank: 206595
		Our Price: $7.98
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		MPAA Rating: R (Restricted) Media: DVD

Editorial Review:
While it offers nothing new to the military action genre, Tears of the Sun distinguishes itself with fine acting, expert craftsmanship, and seriousness of purpose. Its familiar "extraction mission" plot is essentially similar to that of Black Hawk Down, involving a crack team of U.S. Special Ops commandos struggling to rescue innocent missionaries amidst the bloody horror of Nigerian ethnic cleansing. With Bruce Willis as their grizzled, no-nonsense commander, the skillful team enters a hot zone that gets even hotter when their "package"--an American national (Monica Bellucci) who runs the isolated mission--demands that 70 Nigerian villagers be included in the rescue. Willis's uneasy conscience leads him to defy orders and expand his mission, and in an ambitious follow up to Training Day, director Antoine Fuqua escalates tension and strike-force with considerable emotional impact. Originally considered as a potential entry in Willis's Die Hard series, and released on the eve of America's war with Iraq, Tears of the Sun admirably avoids jingoism with its rousing story of personal good vs. political evil. --Jeff Shannon

Tears of the Sun [Region 2] Reviews:
HEARTRENDING, GUT WRENCHING, DEEPLY MOVING
2009-12-22 - I saw this movie on T.V. two nights ago. (We don't get to movies in theatres, my husband has hearing aids and can't handle the noise!) I'd wanted to see it for some time, because the simple blurb in the T.V. magazine preview indicated something special. It's unfortunate most people will simply think it's just another Bruce Willis 'actioner'. I haven't read all the reviews but I may be one of the few women to write one. I won't repeat the details of the script, simply list my own observations.

Story: all important, in both books and movies. This story was played out with clarity and compassion. Certainly it became a little gung-ho at the end, but one could become deeply involved in the action scenes, the portrayals of the members of a small, highly trained military unit, and the simply accepted fact, once unknown in the movie world, of Africans as human beings.

Acting: Bruce Willis has matured well. He played his role perfectly and believably, conveyed all the feelings of a man and a soldier in terrible circumstances with admirable economy. Seldom has a wooden expression served its owner so well! The men under his command were equally believable in their roles. Monica Bellucci as the doctor I could not quite warm to. She did all that was required of her, yet I couldn't quite believe in her character as I did the men's. After the movie finished I wondered what an actress of the ilk of Meg Ryan or Susan Sarandon would have made of the role. And Tom Skerrit didn't quite click as the senior officer.

Blood and Violence: I don't handle these well. I've refused to see the Mel Gibson produced movies for that reason. But, as in 'Gladiator', the brutality and cruelty of human beings to one another, as depicted, was acceptable because it was part of the storyline. It was neither explicit nor graphic; it wasn't thrown in for the sake of sensationalism.

Why gut-and-heart wrenching? In a phrase, I cared for the people and what happened to them. In a word, realistic. Why deeply moving? Because after the end of the story I realised how fortunate we in the western civilisations are, to live in even comparative safety.

P.S. And its title is similar to that of my favourite science-fiction story, The Sun's Tears by Brian M. Stableford, published in 1974!



Not the film as originally written or made
2009-11-05 - I think that it is important to note that this film was moved halfway 'round the earth and the entire plot changed BECAUSE OF THE SO-CALLED "ACCIDENTAL" DEATH OF KEVIN TOD SMITH, who goes uncredited in THIS version. Originally, it was shot in China, and was Smith's first "big American film role." Apparently, Bruce Willis couldn't take the competition of a taller, more-skilled, more handsome, funnier, more physically-adept and built like a brick house "co-star." Although I doubt that, had Kev lived, he would've gotten THAT much credit from Mr. 5'7" New Jersey Boy. If they'd finished this war-mongering diatribe in China, and left Tod's scenes in, I might want to watch it. But as a Willis vehicle, it sounds like a load of crap.

a disturbing look a Nigerian genocide . . .
2009-10-07 - Set in Nigeria, Tears of the Sun (2003) is a typical jungle rescue, combat epic, with plenty of explosions, and thousands of rounds expended. Director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Replacement Killers) also wanted to shine a light on the very dark side of humanity, taking a look at the brutality of ethnic cleansing (genocide).

Bruce Willis (Die Hard) is Lieutenant A. K. Waters, the leader of a group of Navy SEALs sent into the jungle to extract Lena Fiore Kendricks (Monica Bellucci) a doctor practicing in a clinic there. Dr. Kendricks insists that her friends also be taken to safety. A large group head for the rendezvous point, where Kendricks is dragged aboard a helicopter, and forced to abandon her friends. Flying out, the mission is all but done, when Waters unexpectedly turns the chopper back. The chopper transports just a few of the refuges to safety, leaving the SEAL team, Kendricks, and the remaining refuges, to try and find a way out on foot. During their journey, they encounter the horrors of ethnic cleansing, as rebel forces systematically exterminate anyone the encounter.

As an African-American concerned about the future of Africa, revealing the horrors of ethnic cleansing, was Fuqua's goal. He presents the terror of murder, rape, and torture, where men are burned alive, and women have their breasts cut off. This part of the film is truly shocking, providing a glimpse into the kind of atrocities reported to have taken place in Nigeria.

While the massacres make a strong impression, the overall story has many elements that are not very credible. While having Doctor Kendricks along adds to the 'drama', clearly the logical thing to do was to have included her in the group sent to safety on the helicopter. Securing her life was the goal of the mission, and Waters fails big time when given the chance. Other plot elements involving secret intrigue among the refugees, and the wishy washy attitude of Navy command, add drama, but strain the limits of believability.

Up until the final battle, the action sequences are well done and mostly realistic. Fuqua had effectively shown the genocide, and the plight of the victims. Unfortunately, much of the credibility built up to this point, is blown away in the film's finale, that is pure Hollywood. Way over the top, and too talky. The fighter planes coming to the rescue, take forever to arrive. And the melodramatic finish, is terribly clichéd.

Antoine Fuqua covers many subjects in his fiery commentary track. The film was shot in Hawaii, because after 9/11, there was reluctance to film outside of the country. Fortunately the terrain, weather, and plant life there, was very similar to the area of Nigeria featured in the film. The evil brutality of genocide definitely has impact, but is somewhat overshadowed the overdramatic ending. If you don't mind a Rambo type finish, the film is worth seeing.

Just when I thought it could not get better
2009-10-03 - I have a bias because I had this movie in SD and since getting my ps3 I have systematically been converting my library from SD to HD. This is great movie not only from a cinematic standpoint but also from a story standpoint. In Blu-ray, the audio and video is amazing. The action sequences and the nuances of the cinematography are clearly apparent.

Tears of the Sun - Blu-Ray Review
2009-09-12 - I have the DVD and purchased this blu-ray because i really like this movie. The sound is better, but the image is not that great. The upconvertion DVD image is almost equal.