THE MONUMENTS MEN ("NOT TO BE REMEMBERED?")

February 21, 2014.

Cast: Matt Damon, George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, John Goodman.

Director: George Clooney.

The Monuments Men was touted to be this year’s ARGO and the trailers promised us just that with a stellar cast and able handed Clooney donning the Director’s hat.

Frank Stokes (Clooney) is permitted by the US President during the 2^nd World War to form a team of his choice to recover the arts stolen by Hitler from all over the world, mainly Europe, for his Fuhrer Museum. He assembles a team comprising of several people including James Granger (Damon), Richard Campbell (Murray) and Walter Garfield (Goodman).

Though the premise sounds pretty adventurous and interesting enough the screenplay is too too lacklustre and when combined with the silly BGM that comes every now and then the scenes that are already bland are made much more stupid and funny in a bad way.

You have a laugh or two once in a while in the film but those are the only scenes that are entertaining in the film. Inspite of being of such historic importance and inspite of the protagonists being in the middle of the World War the film is pretty relaxed in terms of writing, acting and direction!! There is not a single scene in the film that could be called tense.

What’s even worse is that even the dialogues that are supposed to evoke some sort of feelings, because they are so direct to the extent that the characters tell that you are supposed to be sad, fall flat on their face mainly owing to the lack of energy altogether!! It is really really sad to see such a terrible film from the man who has given us the likes of Good Night and Good Luck, The Ides of March etc.

The first half of the film is dead slow and comparatively, the second offers something better as we atleast get to see the events that are relatively unknown to the majority, which in no sense of the word means the film is watchable unless you have a lot of free time to spare.

The film ends with the President of the United States asking Stokes if all the efforts, money and loss of people was really worth it, whether all this will be remembered in History. Though Stokes replies in the affirmative and historically it is impossible to overlook such a noble mission, now that most people in the world are aware of it, the film sadly has been taken in such a shabby manner posing a big question to the audience whether it is something worth remembering?....I guess not!

I am giving a 2.25 for The Monuments Men. It is not a Clooney film, it’s way too lousy!!

IMDB Rating

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

       

3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.