Heartbreak Ridge (1986)

I have seen many war films in my time. We Were Soldiers, Platoon, Apocalypse Now, Saving Private Ryan, Enemy at the Gates, and Full Metal Jacket. Those are just a few of my favorites. Now I can add Heartbreak Ridge to the list. Clint Eastwood is superb as Gunnery Sergeant Highway. The film follows the format of most war films. Training, bonding, and finally combat. This film spends a large amount of time in the training and bonding phase and basically follows Eastwood at the end of his career as a marine in a super shitty assignment. Eastwood takes a bunch of misfits (led by Mario Van Peebles) and makes their unit the best in the division. One of the things I really enjoy about this film is the fact that Eastwood consistently proves that he is the baddest mother fucker around and will not take any shit from anyone.

Heartbreak Ridge shows what happens to an old marine that lived for combat and now has to take shit from younger superiors, underlings, and even an ex-wife. Rising above all the bullshit is Eastwood's performance as a sore-throated bastard that won't take shit from anybody (yes I said this already and YES it needed to be repeated). The film ends with the conflict in Grenada. Of course our heroes kick ass and take names in the final battle. Eastwood defies his stick in the mud superior and a general is proud of that action as a badass. Not much else to say about this film, but if you enjoy Eastwood and don't mind military films, then watch this film. It won't be the best war film you ever see, but it is quite enjoyable to watch Eastwood in one of his best (as far as not taking shit) roles.

"Just because we're holding hands doesn't mean we are gonna take warm showers in the wee hours of the morning..."