Is It Worth the Watch?

The Second World War is one of those conflicts where being on the winning side can give you a sense of moral victory. And with good reason. The Nazis perpetrated the Holocaust, invaded most of Europe, and stole the greatest art treasures in the world. There are a lot of movies set during World War II, and one of the reasons so many of them succeed is because those losers were truly evil and it feels good to see their wicked asses kicked.

So a true story about the Allied soldiers who put their lives on the line to recover those priceless, pilfered masterpieces near the end of the war should be edge-of-your-seat thrilling and extremely rewarding. 2014’s military drama The Monuments Men is fairly engaging, but it feels long, inauthentic, anachronistic, and, worst of all, unsatisfying. You keep waiting for a ‘wow’ moment that makes you stand up and cheer. But even after the final credits, you’re still waiting.

The acting is superb from the amazing all-star ensemble cast, especially Matt Damon, and Bill Murray in an unexpected dramatic role, but director George Clooney (who also co-stars) doesn’t deliver much suspense and just can’t seem to find a gratifying finale.

Is It Worth The Watch? This film is worth a look, just don’t expect too much. Great art it isn’t.

2014

118 minutes

Starring – George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Cate Blanchet, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, Hugh Bonneville

Director – George Clooney

Screenplay – George Clooney, Grant Heslov