TEARS OF THE SUN

US, 2003, 119 minutes, Colour.
Bruce Willis, Monica Bellucci, Tom Skerritt.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua.

This is a very watchable action adventure, probably because it is almost old-fashioned in its linear storytelling and in its emotional pull as we watch a rescue mission turn into a dangerous chase and pursuit. It is the kind of story that they told on screen, especially in British films of the 1950s.

However, the location is modern-day Africa, specifically Nigeria, and the setting is a military coup and a civil war with the rebels executing the president and his family. While this may not be Nigeria, it is true of several African countries, especially in West Africa and in the Congo region. One of the questions about the reception of this film is its post Iraq War release. It seems a tribute to American troops coming in to rescue people from tyrants and save the day, especially through firepower. (A film to compare notes with is Black Hawk Down, set in Somalia in the early 1990s.)

Bruce Willis, looking like Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now, leads a crack squad of military who specialise in undercover missions. This time they are to bring out non-Europeans, specifically an Italian doctor (Monica Bellucci), the Italian mission priest and two Irish nuns. In the event the priest and nuns refuse to leave and the doctor is forced out but not before asking for a number of the refugees from the rebels to be flown to safety with her. Orders are clear and applied objectively. However, Willis and his men have a change of heart and the film turns into a chase, with the harrassed group trying to reach the Cameroun border.

There are some violence scenes of cruelty to men, women and children in the mission, including the beheading of the priest, as well as a massacre in an allegedly sympathetic village hding the president's surviving son. There is also a commando raid as the Americans kill the rebels committing the atrocities. The vivid presentation of these sequences is certainly far stronger than what we can see in films of the 50s.

The film raises political issues of soveignty of states and intrusion or invasion by foreign troops, the precarious politics of some African countries, war crimes and justice for the innocent victims. It is pleasing to see in a film of 2003, a sympathetic picture of a contemporary mission with a contemporary priest and sisters. The film was directed by Antoine Fuqua who directed Denzel Washington in Training Day.

1. An old-fashioned style of military mission, rescue mission? Adapted to the 21st century? The role of the US forces? In the light of the Iraq war? A linear story, well told, editing and pace?

2. The theme of American troops as saviours of the world? The status of African countries, coups, tribal clashes, warfare, civil warfare, outside intervention? Politics? Military?

3. The Hawaiian locations standing in for Africa? The mountains, the jungle, the border terrain? The importance of the sound engineering for the film? The ominous musical style, sounds? The musical score - and the African themes - the quoting of African poetry?

4. The title, grief and suffering, violence, Africa?

5. The American commander, the aircraft carrier, the men coming in from their mission, the briefings, the new mission, its directness? Orders? His keeping contact with the squad? His refusal to allow L.T. to take the refugees, his standing on authority, his finally changing his mind, sending in the planes for the rescue? The finale and his reconciliation with L.T?

6. Bruce Willis as L.T., his screen presence, his appearance (and the echoes of Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now)? His men, his command, the completion of their mission, arrival on the aircraft carrier, the debriefing, the conference, the new mission? The clarity of the mission, the rescuing of non-Africans only?

7. The picture of the Catholic mission, the priest, his Italian background, his working with the people in the hospital, his decision to stay, blessing the group as they left, the confrontation with the rebels, his being beheaded? The Irish nuns, their dress, appearance, missionary work, the hospital? The older sister and her strength, the younger sister and her deciding to stay? The arrival at the mission, the rebels and the massacre, the overhead views of the massacre at the mission?

8. Lina and her work, widow, Italian background? Her refusal to go, not trusting L.T? Her wanting to take the group? Her keeping secret the identity of the president's son? Going through the jungle, the baby crying and her stopping it? The rebels passing by? The helicopters, her realisation that only she was to be taken out, her virtually being abducted? Her anger on the helicopter?

9. L.T., straightforward commander, a strong rational approach, the possibility for change, going into the mission, the confrontation with the priest and the nuns, his allowing them to stay, Lina and her refusal, his decision to take a group? His leading them through the jungle? Evading the pursuing rebels? Arriving at the helicopter, taking Lina? His hardness, on the helicopters, his change of mind, his inability to give a reason? His taking only twelve in the helicopter? Taking the rest by land to Cameroon, the rebels' pursuit, the toughness of the march, people tired? Discovering the man with the homing device, his being pressurised by the rebels because of his family? His threatening to shoot the big Nigerian, Arthur stepping forward and identifying himself? The confirmation of this information by phone? L.T's decision to go forward?

10. The picture of the rebels, marching through the jungle, the atmosphere of the civil war, the opening news information, television news, the massacre of the president and his family? Knowing that one son escaped, their pursuit? Going to the mission, confronting the priest, the beheading, the massacre of the villagers, rape? Their moving by stealth? Their getting information, the pursuit? The village, their brutality? The confrontation with the people, a kind of ethnic cleansing of the Catholic Ibos?

11. War and technology, the man with the homing device? The American with their computers and ability to track those who were pursuing them? Phone communication, the aircraft, the helicopters, the bombs?

12. The final decision, the men talking amongst themselves, the personalities in the squad, getting to know them? Their decision to save the people? The fight, their deaths, the shooting, arrival at the border? The Cameroon officials refusing to let them in? Lina and L.T. with their passports, the others going in?

13. Arthur, his significance, son of the president, tribal head? His hiding with the group? His owning up to the truth? Lina as his protector? The various people in the group, Arthur's protector? The mother wanting to see her daughter again and the discussions with Zee? The character sketches of the men: Doc and his medical work, the man with the computer, Red, Zee and his loyalty?

14. The ultimate achievement by the squad, war, humanitarian effort?

15. A satisfying action film? National and political issues of the first decade of the 21st century? The significance of war effort, objective decision-making, compassion for human beings, humanitarian effort?