Bearing a lot of similarities to Director Norman Jewison's earlier work "In the heat of the night" on a story and thematic level, A Soldiers Story is about a black officer is sent down to investigate the Murder of a black sergeant, presumed to have been done by white people.
While not as good as In the Heat of the Night, A Soldiers Story is still a solid movie and not just a carbon copy rehashing old ideas without anything new. The way Norman Jewison manages to deal with black and white people's relationship with themselves and each other during 1940s America, and quite heavy themes like racism, in a way that is not only watchable but entertaining without ever forgetting the seriousness of the topic, is impressive.
The murder mystery/investigation plot the movie has is not the most thrilling or exciting take on a classic story, but it is what the movie manges to say and explore within this plot that makes it interesting. The acting is also worth a mention, as that helps elevate the movie. Everyone does a good job, but it's the likes of Adolph Caesar and a very young Denzel Washington that gives this movie that extra something.
While it certainly isn't as groundbreaking as In the Heat of the Night or other movies like it, A Soldiers Story is worth a watch and is very much able to stand on its own feet. We know the director is cable of making a good movie with similar themes, so it's no surprise he does it again here. And if not for anything else, watch if for a young Denzel Washington in one of his earlier films
Bearing a lot of similarities to Director Norman Jewison's earlier work "In the heat of the night" on a story and thematic level, A Soldiers Story is about a black officer is sent down to investigate the Murder of a black sergeant, presumed to have been done by white people.
While not as good as In the Heat of the Night, A Soldiers Story is still a solid movie and not just a carbon copy rehashing old ideas without anything new. The way Norman Jewison manages to deal with black and white people's relationship with themselves and each other during 1940s America, and quite heavy themes like racism, in a way that is not only watchable but entertaining without ever forgetting the seriousness of the topic, is impressive.
The murder mystery/investigation plot the movie has is not the most thrilling or exciting take on a classic story, but it is what the movie manges to say and explore within this plot that makes it interesting. The acting is also worth a mention, as that helps elevate the movie. Everyone does a good job, but it's the likes of Adolph Caesar and a very young Denzel Washington that gives this movie that extra something.
While it certainly isn't as groundbreaking as In the Heat of the Night or other movies like it, A Soldiers Story is worth a watch and is very much able to stand on its own feet. We know the director is cable of making a good movie with similar themes, so it's no surprise he does it again here. And if not for anything else, watch if for a young Denzel Washington in one of his earlier films
