Salvando al Soldado Pérez (SAVING PRIVATE PEREZ) -- (7)

He went for the low-key, quiet daytime look.

 This is possibly the silliest anti-war movie ever.   I liked it.  Let's face it, there isn't much funnier than watching pot-bellied grandpas in boots and polyester Sans-A-Belt slacks running through an Iraq war zone.   Well, maybe an sneak attack by an Indio Mexicano as he pops up out of a vat to tomato juice is funnier.  Or perhaps watching a drug lord bedeck himself with all the good taste and style of Ceasars Palace in it's heyday and drive around his Wild Kingdom estate in a golf cart while wearing nothing but a bathrobe and a Speedo made out of an Hermes scarf is best.  That was pretty funny.  But I am usually really amused by clothing so my judgement may be a bit off. 

"Our password, our battle cry will be.. TOMATE!"

Anyway, if you've never seen a novella, you won't understand how funny a lot of this stuff is.  And if you don't speak Spanish or like to read subtitles, then you'll miss a few of the jokes.  Not many jokes, but some of them. 

However, don't forget that when you are watching the bullets fly and the machismo posturing and the dramatic music that the Americans are the bad guys.   They just up and kill everyone in a terrifyingly clean and perfect way.  Drug lords are the GOOD GUYS in this movie.   Is it simplistic assessment of current political events? Yup.   Does it completely disregard the humanity and compassion of the troops fighting around the globe? Absolutely.  Is it hilarious? YES.

Really, those three questions can be asked of a lot of war movies these days.  Only SAVING PRIVATE PEREZ can answer all three in the affirmative.   Which is like saying "Yeah that guy is a murderous drug lord but he did rescue his POW brother from Iraq..."  Dubious morality but a funny film.