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List Price: $19.98 | | Label: Image Entertainment
Salesrank: 11020
Released: January 15, 2008 |
| Our Price: $14.02 |
| Used Price: $13.35 |
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MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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| Features:
Color Dolby DVD Subtitled Widescreen NTSC | |
Editorial Review:
Personal revenge or act of war? Crazed soldiers or political scapegoats? Winner of 10 Australian Academy Awards, this powerful film directed by the Oscar®-nominated Bruce Beresford (Tender Mercies, Driving Miss Daisy) continues to stir audiences with its timeless themes of wartime morality and military hypocrisy. Based on a true story, Edward Woodward (TV's The Equalizer) unforgettably stars as the controversial folk hero and Renaissance man Lt. Harry "Breaker" Morant. As South Africa's Boer War draws to a close, Morant and two fellow Australian soldiers are court-martialed for murder. Their only hope lies in a small-town lawyer who fights passionately for their lives.
Breaker Morant Reviews:
Ageless 
2009-11-22 - With the death this week of Edward Woodward, the star of "Breaker Morant", I thought it timely to have another look at this film which is now almost thirty years old. And I'm very glad that I did make the effort. This is simply a wonderful film that doesn't date.
Set in 1901 during the Boer war, "Breaker Morant" is, essentially, a court room drama. It covers the trial of two Australians and an Englishman serving with the Bush Veldt Carbineers. This was an irregular unit established by the British to fight behind the lines in a war that was coming to be increasingly defined by guerrilla tacts. Indeed, the word "commando" is a Boer word meaning a soldier living off the land and mounting surprise attacks behind enemy lines. It's interesting to think how much of modern war now plays out in this manner.
The trio are tried with murdering civilians including a missionary. They plead not guilty using what would come to be known as the Nuremburg defence; that is, they claimed to be just following orders. However, there are larger forces at work and the trio are mere pawns in this game. The tension gradually builds with the courtroom evidence and the use of flash backs to actual events. This technique is brilliantly handled by director Bruce Beresford.
The role of Breaker Morant is played by Edward Woodward and he performs the task superbly. He is ably backed by an ensemble of Australia actors with Jack Thompson as the defence counsel rising to the occasion. We also see a young Brian Brown playing Peter Hancock, one of the accused.
Despite being set against the background of war, "Breaker Morant" is not a war movie. Rather, it is a brilliant court room drama of the highest order. Make an effort. Go see this film!
Great Movie
2009-11-15 - I am a History Major. And also Australian like the main character's in the movie. It is a very good movie if you are into period pieces, with no fanfare and special effects. The Movie is right on though in the Historical fact that The English/British Army often used its Colonial troops as scapegoates, but was also very quick to take all the credit for when their was military success From the Boar War and thru World War II. This movie depicts just one case of such actions.
Not much of a movie. 
2009-06-28 - This story could have been told in about 30 minutes.
It was an interesting plot but not much of a movie.
The acting was good and the attention to detail in
wardrobe and weapons great.
All in all pretty depressing.
A reminder that there are all to often to many rules layed
down to conduct war politically. Instead of waging war.
Politicians, ask your general to complete an objective.
And then stay the hell out of the way.
One of my all time favorite
2009-01-01 - The Boer War is one of histories forgotten conflicts. When it was done both sides did their best to forget about it. As to the movie itself it is one of fine crop of films to come out of Australia in the 1980s. If the performance of Woodward is strong (and it is) that is only because he worked with the best on this one.
Breaker' Morant while it is billed as a war film it is actually a more clever arrangement of a war drama within a trial story.
Overall-Are the lives of two men worth the price of peace? You'll have to watch the movie to find out.
Scapegoats of the British Empire
2008-09-21 - This is a strong picture. Beresford is one of these quiet talents who turns out one brilliant film after the other without much fanfare. "Driving Miss Daisy" happens to be one of my favorites. This film has always been thought to be a kind of commentary on the Vietnam War, because it addresses the issue of modern war and morality. For Americans, no doubt, this would have to be true. One can't help thinking of the terrible things done in that war by our soldiers who were in most instances just trying to do their duty and obey their orders. This film is very well directed and packs an emotional punch. One immediately identifies with the soldiers charged by what seems a terribly prejudiced, evil set of British officers, who were happy to exploit the Australians while at the same time having contempt for them. One comes away feeling sympathy for the Australians and a kind of loathing for the corrupt, sickeningly smug British.
