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Did you ever wonder why men of African-American descent would ever join the military service and risk their lives for this country when the Military treats them with less dignity than the rest of the racially prejudiced country? I guess these men that stay with the service stay for the same reason white men stay with the military, they were born to serve; to serve their branch of the service and to serve their country. Put 10 men in the same combat unit and maybe two if you are lucky will thrive on that particular type of service. They love what they are doing. They put up with just about any hardship, indignity and abuse only to rise above it and to rise in rank. Many go on to treat their subordinates with the same as they received, others to show a different side to military life. Regardless of their style of commandment one thing always remains the same and that is Honor. Without this one principle what would a service man have? All his medals all his achievements everything would be for naught. That is why when you see an emotionally charged drama based on a true story you can feel why someone would subject themselves to abuse. Men of Honor directed by George Tillman Jr. (Soul Food) is based on a true story of Carl Brashear the first African-American Navy diver and the first African-American to rise up to the high enlisted rank in the Navy, Master Chief. Brashear is brilliantly played by Cuba Gooding Jr. (As Good As It Gets). His strong facial depictions say more than words could ever display in any drama. He makes you feel what he is feeling and his desire to achieve lofty goals, goals that are so unobtainable most men would never achieve them. Brashear's biggest obstacle is Master Chief Billy Sunday played by Robert DeNiro (Analyze This). Sunday is an arrogant, bigoted, disrespectful to authority, gifted navy diver who is Brashear's nightmare and ally. We get a brief glimpse of Brashear's childhood and the farewell scene at the bus stop between his father and we have a couple side plots on a romance and eventual marriage. There is another side plot for I guess comic relief and to demonstrate another dimension to Sunday's character and this would be his marriage to Gwen played by Charlize Theron (yes she is in yet another film still doing something close to nothing but different than the film before, which was The Cider House Rules). Throughout all of the bravado and side plots we observe Brashear struggle to obtain admission into diving school, then just admission into the gate. We see his fellow service men reject him and awards by pass him for the less deserving. We see him accomplish the impossible and see adversity tossed at him at every turn but once he has become a diver you would think it would be smooth sailing but no, this a drama. He still has hurdle to overcome. Then a tragic accident ends all his dreams. Breashear never quits and we see him do everything he can to rise above his next challenge. These two performances are Oscar worthy as well as this film. I never get to see Cuba's butt nor Deniro's but wet boxer shorts surely will do. I give Men of Honor a nine out of 10 in the About-Movies.com couch rating. Last updated: Thursday, March 20, 2008 02:49:47 AM |
