Veteran's Day Movie: "Saints and Soldiers"

While the Battle of the Bulge is pretty famous, few films have portrayed the infamous "Malmedy Massacre." One of those films is "Saints and Soldiers," a fairly recent indie war movie I caught on the History Channel.

While it has some very mild religious undertones (it was made by Excel Entertainment, a Mormon media conglomerate) the movie definitely follows the basic, by-the-numbers structure of most war movies. A small, heavily-outgunned team of American soldiers is trapped behind enemy lines after the Malmedy Massacre and they must bond together and evade the enemy. The movie even ends in the typical Climactic Showdown and dramatic Last Minute Sacrifice.

The production values are quite good, especially considering the film's tiny $780,000 budget - it could definitely pass for an episode of "Band of Brothers." The story, while ultimately forgettable, is told well and the movie is never boring. You also are spared the sophomoric jingoism or nihilistic anti-war sentiment in some other, more famous war movies. The actors do a competent job and the film's overall message is hard to disagree with.

7/10

Happy Veteran's Day and thanks to all of our men and women in uniform. Good hunting, and stay safe.