Stop Loss

-Katie Meisel

Known to most for producing movies like Jackass, Napoleon Dynamite, Jackass 2 and Blades of Glory, MTV Films does not have a rich history of incisive political commentary. But despite the lack of Oscar-quality productions, Stop-Loss, their latest feature, did exactly what it intended to do – get people angry about the Iraq War.

For a soldier to be “stop-lossed” means that he has finished his contracted tour of duty but gets sent back to war anyway, without being asked or volunteering. Writer and director Kimberly Peirce does an excellent job of portraying the harsh realities of war, but spent more energy showing how hard it is for soldiers to adjust to life back home than on the policy of stop-loss. Only about half of the movie focuses on main character Brandon King’s quest to fight being stop-lossed and how it has affected him; the rest is about a few men from his unit struggling to fit themselves back into civilian life. Although I was expecting more focus on the issue of stop-loss, the other part is equally or more affecting to watch.

Gruesome at times, the fight scenes feel relatively real and convey the danger and terror that are the essence of urban combat, while also revealing the sad truth of civilian casualties that no one likes to talk about. This anti-war movie manages to delicately and respectfully handle the issues of soldiers killed in action, amputees and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
 
Drawing from the trailers and my personal opinions about the policy of stop-loss, I assumed I would come out of the theater either in a rage or in tears, but neither happened. There were a few tear-jerking moments, but not as many as I had anticipated. The point Peirce wanted to make came across loud and clear, though: the military has gotten out of hand and the war needs to end. Stop-Loss is playing at the Barton Creek AMC.