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Saints and Soldiers is a phenomenal production considering
it’s a war story that was filmed on such a low budget. Directed
by Ryan Little (who also directed Out of Step and provided
the cinematography in The R.M. and The Home Teachers),
Saints and Soldiers outdoes all the previously mentioned
films by a long shot. This is genuine filmmaking – and it
also has genuine heart.
The story centers around four Americans in France, fighting against
the Germans in World War II. While their squadron is suddenly
attacked by the enemy, the four of them manage to escape and hide
behind enemy lines. Deacon (Corbin Allred), the one LDS character,
is joined by Gunderson (Peter Holden), the leader of the group,
Kendrick (Larry Bagby), a smoker who has run out of cigarettes,
and Gould (Alexander Polinsky), a medic.
The four of them try to stay low until the Germans have passed,
but they run into an Englishman named Winley (Kirby Heyborne),
who has some important information he needs to get through to
the Allies. Facing various obstacles and dangers along the way,
the boys go with Winley to make sure the information gets delivered.
Though intense and entertaining as a war flick, Saints and
Soldiers also develops an underlying theme dealing with Deacon’s
compassion on the Germans, having served a mission to Germany
before the war. Deacon’s attitude has an effect of the others,
particularly on Gould, who hates the Germans. Though frequently
understated, this Christian aspect of the film brings warmth to
the cold tone of the film and manages to be particularly effective
in a few scenes.
Saints and Soldiers also keeps balanced in its storytelling,
mingling humorous moments with the serious. A lot of the humor
comes from Kirby Heybourne who frequently livens the tone, although
at times it seems as if Heyborne is having a bit too much fun
with the English accent.
The sets, although usually consisting of nothing more than woods
and snow, are always well done and believable. The sound and cinematography
are also of a high quality for an independent film. The sound
is always professional and there are a lot of splendidly filmed
scenes, especially a few with heavy snowfall. The score is equally
beautiful and even rather powerful at parts. Saints and Soldiers
doesn’t feel like a low-budget, independent film.
Though it’s never really groundbreaking either in terms
of filmmaking or narrative, there's really nothing to complain
about. The story is engaging, the characters are interesting,
and we are almost always either caught up in the tension or laughing.
That it is able to add a moving and uplifting message to all of
the above makes Saints and Soldiers a film that deserves to stand
up there with Hollywood’s best.
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