Review: 'Stop-Loss' Falls Short Of Mission

'Stop-Loss' (R)(out of four)

There have been a number of movies made that invoke the war in Iraq: "In the Valley of Elah," "Lambs for Lions," "Redacted" and "Rendition" -- and all have been box office duds.

The reasons range from arguments that the films are biased and little more than anti-U.S. propaganda, to the proposal that American audiences just don't want to see anything about the war.

Writer-director Kimberly Peirce ("Boys Don't Cry") is the latest filmmaker to step into this arena with her new movie, "Stop-Loss." The idea came to Peirce during a period when she was preparing a documentary about soldiers. (Her brother enlisted in the military after the Sept. 11 attacks.)

This heavily publicized release kicks off with a group of U.S. soldiers manning a roadside checkpoint in Iraq. The tension mounts as a couple of cars rapidly approach the men. When insurgents stage an attack, the troops led by Staff Sgt. Brandon King (Ryan Phillippe) give chase and find themselves ambushed on an Iraqi street. This impressive opening scene ends with the unit victorious but anguished over the loss of comrades.

The men return home to Texas, where they are given a well-deserved hero's welcome. King is happy his military service is over, but when he reports to process his discharge papers, he finds out that he's been "stop-lossed," meaning his enlistment is being extended.

As it turns out, when an enlistee signs the Armed Forces Enlistment Contract, there is an obligation to potentially serve eight years, no matter how long the person is signing on for. The U.S. Congress also wrote into law after the Vietnam conflict that in time of war, the president can extend an enlistment.

When the King finds out he's not being discharged, that in fact he's being shipped back to Iraq, he's not very happy. In a scene where he meets with his commanding officer, the film starts to unravel. It sounds more like anti-George W. Bush tirade with the C.O. showing no understanding, and where what should be a highly disciplined sergeant spouts profanities. The commanding officer orders this war hero taken to the brig, but King overpowers his escort and goes AWOL.

A fellow sergeant and close buddy, played by Channing Tatum ("Step Up") tries to persuade his pal to come back, but King is determined to go to Washington and seek the help of a friendly senator, accompanied by his friend's fiancee (Abby Cornish).

At this point, the movie feels like it's a throwback to the worst stereotypes from the Vietnam era, what with talk of going over the border to Canada, and with every soldier either having flashbacks, beating up a girlfriend, becoming suicidal or developing a drinking problem.

Probably the most touching scene in when King visits one of his men who was maimed in the Iraqi ambush. Victor Rasuk ("Lords of Dogtown") provides some inspiration, despite the terrible price he's paid in combat. Also noteworthy is Joseph Gordon-Levitt ("3rd Rock from the Sun"), who plays one of the troubled soldiers.

Whether this film with an Iraq war theme is box office poison is yet to be seen. It might be that people want to see films that offer either hope, heroism or solutions. The biggest problem with "Stop-Loss" isn't that it has an agenda. It's just plain depressing.