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'Tears
of The Sun' : A Humanitarian Mission The theme he
has chosen is the increasing humanitarian interventions of the military
in conflict zones. The movie unravels with the democratic government
of Nigeria collapsing and the country is taken over by a ruthless
military dictator, Waters (Bruce Willis), a fiercely loyal and hardened
veteran is dispatched on a routine mission to retrieve a Doctors
Without Borders physician, Dr. Lena Kendricks (Monica Bellucci).
Dr. Kendricks,
an American citizen by marriage, is tending to the victims of the
ongoing civil war at a Catholic mission in a remote village. When
Waters arrives, however, Dr. Kendricks refuses to leave unless he
promises to help deliver the villagers to political asylum at the
nearby border. If they are left behind, they will be at the mercy
of the enormous rebel army. Waters is under
strict orders from his commanding officer Captain Bill Rhodes (Tom
Skerritt) to remain disengaged from the conflict. But as he and
his men witness the brutality of the rebels first-hand, they are
won over to Dr. Kendricks' cause and place their lives at risk by
agreeing to escort the villagers on a perilous trek through the
dense jungle. Going in with
the lieutenant is a seven-man elite squad so tough and combat-hardened
they have no-nonsense one-syllable nicknames like Red, Zee, Slow,
Doc and Flea, and communicate by an elaborate series of hand signals
that put traffic control officers to shame. None of these
men is any match for the fierce Dr. Kendricks, who not only looks
good in sweaty khakis but also gets to exhibit a stereotypically
fiery temperament. "Get those weapons out of my operating room,"
she snaps at the chastened Americans before insisting that if she
agrees to be evacuated, her numerous patients have to leave with
her. Among the things
that likely liberate the lieutenant's secret softie are the genuine
atrocities he encounters on the trail. While it is a little disconcerting
to see the horrors of war as artfully lighted and composed as they
are here, these scenes play like a sincere attempt to show us what
really happens when things go bad in Africa and elsewhere with an
eye to moving as well as informing an audience Waters' team, experts at evasion and concealment, are inexplicably and ferociously pursued by an army of rebels. They are confounded until they discover that, among the refugees, is the sole survivor of the country's previous ruling family, whom the rebels have been ordered to eliminate at all costs. The movie has tone of defensive and offensive as the team tries to lead the natives out of Nigeria as well as they frantically bargain with its commanders offshore to send in air support or evacuation and the battle is for time. Bruce Willis who was sometime back renowned for his contribution in action and war movies was later involved in movies with much different Genres varying from thrillers to comedies, but he does a good come back in this movie as a SEAL team leader in a dilemma between following orders and morality. The movie has a fair number of international critics who appreciate the new genre of humanitarian war and some who say that it is not a movie worthy effort but all in all the movie is a first in this theme and viewers should also be a part in the ratings.
He even acquired
the franchise rights in 1983 but let the option lapse in the wake
of his huge success with ET. But now the fantasy sagas, with such
titles as Tintin and the Temple of the Sun and Tintin and the Lake
of Sharks, with the intrepid young reporter inevitably finding himself
at the centre of global adventures, are all set to be made. Spielberg
and his frequent producing partner Kathleen Kennedy will produce
a Tintin live action feature for Universal Pictures and Dream Works
Pictures. The studios
are currently negotiating with Moulinsart, the Belgian company that
holds the Tintin properties created by late cartoonist George's
Remi under the pseudonym Herge. Tintin, recognizable
by his blonde cow-licked coif, battled international evil with the
help of his dog Snowy, his mentor Captain Haddock famed for his
drunken curses - police officers Thomson and Thompson and Professor
Cuthbert Calculus. The comic strip, first published in 1929 in the
Belgian newspaper Let Petit vingtieme, was eventually translated
into more than 50 languages and has already been the subject of
several animated adaptations for motion pictures and television.
Tintin is a
popular cartoon series on Sri Lankan small screen too. And the star that Spielberg wants to play the plucky cub journalist is Mark Wahlberg from Planet of the Apes.
'The show will
feature the evergreen compositions and matchless hits of Clarence
Wijewardena. Also singers Indrani Perera, Anil Bhareti, Paul Fernando,
A.E. Monoharan, Dharmaratne Brothers, LA Bambas, Noeline Honter
and Dalrene Suby will be supplemented by the Mendis foursome, Victor
Silva, Winslow Six and Rajiv Sebastian. The late C.T.
Fernando, M.S. Fernando and Milton Mallawarachchi will be represented
by their very popular sons, Priyantha Fernando, Susil Fernando and
Ranil Mallawarachchi. Rajiv and the Clan will provide the music
while the ultimate in choreography including sound, lighting and
dance will enrich the Sooriya Show giving it meaning and relevance,
when the idiom of music associated with the Sooriya show is projected
in a spectacular and contemporary setting. Dr. Vijaya Corea who compered the show then, and presented the Sooriya show on radio, will once again compere this show. DR Entertainments presents the show. |
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