The Wall (2017)

i know i wasted 90 mins of my life.

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

The overly saturated war genre is increasingly becoming over populated with a variety of differing wars every year. For a film to differentiate itself, it has to be memorable. Whether it be jaw-dropping sequences, astute direction or gorgeous cinematography. Unfortunately, The Wall is far too stripped back and consequently loses its cinematic scope. An American soldier is stuck behind a wall as a rogue sniper attempts to shoot him. A fierce mind battle that will test the limitations of one's survival abilities and psychological skills. The methodology and creativity utilised to investigate the location of the sniper, whilst adrenaline is pumping, remained interesting throughout. Time delays from the bullet hitting and the sound of its release to acknowledging the background noise of the sniper as he communicates with the soldier. To remain innovative at a pure moment of survival is what makes soldiers human. They aren't machines, they are mortal beings. Johnson gives an excellent central performance conveying bravery and desperation. Cena was fine, but as Johnson is on screen for the majority of the short runtime, the focus is purely on him. That's about it unfortunately. It's essentially 'Phone Booth' with the aesthetic appeal of modern warfare. The story lacks thrills. It's structure, cinematography and Liman's direction are so basic that any moment of suspense dissipates immediately. The pace becomes so stagnated that boredom settles in. Marred with several idiotic plot conveniences, the narrative relies too heavily on unimaginative devices. Accidentally laying on a radio, a brick crushing a finger and the sniper who coincidentally knows pretty much everything about the solider. Only to culminate to an incredibly rushed final ten minute sequence that then ends on a cliffhanger. Except the lack of thrills and tension results in an unwanted and unnecessary cliffhanger. I appreciate Liman's stripped back environment and directorial efforts but the film went no where and crumbled.

"You Americans. You think you know it all. You think it's simple. That I am your enemy. But we are not so different,you and I."Ever seen "Mine"? A film about an American marine who accidentally steps on a land mine in the Afghan desert and an entire film he must remain motionless in the same place, until help arrives. "The Wall" shows an almost similar situation. Only this time it takes place in Iraq and the American soldier Isaac (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) sits behind the remains of a primitive wall. The only thing you'll see in this film, is a psychological game between the professional sniper (who we'll never get to see) and this soldier. Through a captured transmitter, he can communicate with Isaac and at the same time deceive other military personnel.It's never really exciting. The only thing Isaac is working on, is finding a way out and ensuring that his partner Matthews (John Cena) won't be slaughtered mercilessly by the most appropriately entrenched sniper. And this can only be prevented by talking sincere about himself. So the only thing we see a whole hour, is a distraught Isaac who has no water or transmitter at the beginning (And he has a terribly bleeding gunshot wound) talking to the Iraqi sniper, who apparently damn well knows how the American military apparatus works. A politically charged conversation unfolds between the two gentlemen. Discussing war, terrorism and Islam. A Shakespearian word game in which the Iraqi intellectual sounding gunner tries to justify his actions. A psychological game that drives Isaac to despair.Despite the fact that the film is limited in all possible ways (one character, one location, no special effects), the film remained extremely fascinating. Only I thought that the behavior of the two soldiers was implausible at a certain moment. I assume those were two trained, experienced soldiers who already had done a number of tours. But when you see the first one wandering towards the oilfield in a casual, worryfree way, it really looks amateurish. And then the way his partner starts running to help him. I guess it's panic that is to blame and an explanation for his behavior. But besides this sigh-moment, I thought the acting wasn't so bad. And some will experience the denouement as abrupt and disappointing. I, on the other hand, do like such uncommon endings. It doesn't need to be a happy ending all the time!

The movie was ridiculous. It'd have been funny at least if it wasn't so married to a fictional idea of the way things work in the American military. Just crazy. And med evac coming on to a hot LZ. Not gonna happen. Not that way.Astoundingly bad, everyone else here got it right -- Dumb and Dumber: in the desert or a military Phone Booth. Just spare yourselves and don't watch.

What I loved about this movie is that it gives you a perspective of what an enemy thinks of a soldier who is in the enemies country. The Iraqi sniper has two advantages...he speaks english and knows Army "lingo". It doesn't take long for the American to figure out that the person he is speaking to by radio is his enemy. He is being taunted by this Iraqi who has the advantage of being hidden from sight and can see the two Americans. Aaron Taylor-Johnson gives a brilliant portrayal of a desperate, badly injured soldier who is desperate to find the location of the Iraqi sniper. This is really a one man movie which I stumbled upon and can't understand why I had never heard of it before. I love movies that are psychological thrillers and "The Wall" certainly falls into that category. I don't have any military experience so I wasn't focusing on what equipment these guys were using which some other reviewers who most likely have experience in combat, were commenting on what a soldier would be carrying aka binoculars. It's unfortunate that they are missing the point of this movie which to me is the Iraqi is not buying into the American reasons for being in his country. The Iraqi is questioning the insanity of blowing up a school in his country and then thinking that by sending teams to reconstruct infrastructure that Americans themselves previously destroyed was somehow going to make up for all the death and destruction.