Customer Reviews

Garrison

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This was an absolute waste! Poor acting, weak script and overall a waste in $ and time! DON'T WASTE YOUR $ LIKE I DID!!!

I am finding difficulty in reviewing this film as I found there to be a separation between what is being advertised and what the actual product is. To get the list out of the way, it is being advertised as "based on a true story" (the Ft. Bragg killings of 2002), but in reality it shows one soldier from a Texas base reacting horribly to an extramarital affair in a way similar to one of the murders from 2002. The cover art cannot agree between inspired or based as it says both - so let's stick with the first. The cover art shows combat that never happens, the sound is listed as 5.1 Surround - but it is actually a horrible 2.0, and the description is not what the film mostly shows.

The story follows several Infantry staff in a dry day-to-day style format of training, logistics, hazing, more training, and off-base life (strip clubs, home life, etc.) whilst an AWOL soldier is being looked for by this staff. The violent end of the story is told at the beginning, then again at the end with a slightly misplaced plot twist. The days leading up to this act are spliced in with some flashback combat footage and obvious forays into making this a PTSD film. In actuality though, over 45 minutes of this middle part are all barracks and training life, so the combat angle is never really covered.

The special features give this an extra bump for the amount added onto this small budget film/DVD. The making-of lasts an hour and covers any and every aspect of what it took to make this film - very dry but informative about how a $4,000 film with all unknowns gets made. There are 7 minutes of deleted scenes, a 2 minute "combat test" short film, a concert video of Joint Method (one of the bands in the film) and a commentary.

Once again, an important topic film, but execution, style, music and a plethora of other tidbits make this whole project miss what is being sold here. The cast stated this movie has touched lives, and granted the Bragg killings are tragic - but this was not the film to be touting anything to do with those incidents. Some solid military performances and a conveyance of a believable "Garrison" lifestyle give this the stars I gave it - so maybe go into it to see this group's take on the daily lifestyle portrayed, with a violent domestic subplot appearing at the end and beginning.

I have waded through some pretty ordinary movies in my late night viewing on cable TV and "give it a go" picks at the video store. When I saw this movie in a clearance house for a sad $2 I figured at worst I would have a spare DVD case !
Having spent the time watching it I am pleased to say that all things considered it turned out to be an ok nights entertainment.
Given that the cast are all unknowns (but not untalented) I had no idea of what to expect and was pleasantly surprised by a fairly cohesive tale of a Sargent rotating back to the States with his unit and suffering not only Post Traumatic Stress Disorder but suspecting his wife of infidelity (or so it seems).
This is set against a back drop of the squad being drilled to go back into action and an intake of 3 new members.
All adequately handled and acted by these actors, with some highly polished performances in there by James Barnes and Kerry Valderrama, who incidentally seems to have done everything from acting in the movie, producing the movie and most likely buying the beer and hotdogs at the end of each days shooting if the $4000 budget is to be believed.
Look it's no action movie, and has a few slow passages but has an interesting twist in the tail so if it's on cable or you see it somewhere to rent or buy for the price of a coffee....do yourself a favour.

GARRISON was made for a micro budget by a first-time filmmaker who is an army veteran. The director maximized his meager resources and delivers what I think is one of the most remarkable twists in cinematic history. Kerry Valderrama is clearly filled with talent and much potential, and any technical and casting deficiencies should be forgiven in light of a $4k production. If you let the movie play to the end, you will get a shock that will leave you in chills because of the horror. By the way, Mr. Valderrama was a Nicholl's Semifinalist this year. Sponsored by the organization who gives out the Academy Award, the Nicholl is considered the most prestigious screenwriting award worldwide.