Saints and Soldiers (2003) Mormon Movie Reviews: Where LDS movie lovers belong!
Saints and Soldiers (2003)
https://youtu.be/XULA_eWzLvA
Running time: 103 minutes
Spoiler alert
Synopsis Four American soldiers and one Brit fighting in Europe during World War II struggle to return to Allied territory after being separated from U.S. forces during the historic Malmedy Massacre during the Battle of the Bulge. One of the combatants is a former Mormon missionary who is forced to fight as a WWII soldier against the German people he grew to love during his two years of service.
"Saints and Soldiers" (2003) is a gripping WWII drama that follows a group of American soldiers trapped behind enemy lines in the Ardennes forest during the Battle of the Bulge. With stunning cinematography and intense action sequences, the film captures the harrowing realities of war while delving into themes of camaraderie, sacrifice, and the resilience of the human spirit. The characters are well-developed, each with their own struggles and motivations, adding depth to the narrative. The performances are compelling, particularly from Corbin Allred and Alexander Polinsky, who deliver standout portrayals. Director Ryan Little skillfully balances the gritty realism of combat with moments of poignancy and humanity, making "Saints and Soldiers" a memorable and emotionally resonant cinematic experience. It's a testament to the courage and honor of those who served, offering both thrills and profound insights into the cost of war.
Background
This is part one of what became a three part movie franchise,
Saints and Soldiers 2003
Saints and Soldiers: Airborne Creed, was released 2012
Saints and Soldiers: The Void, was released 2014
After Nazis ambush a brigade of Allied soldiers in Belgium, the few remaining survivors, including the sniper, Deacon (Corbin Allred), and Pvt. Kendrick (Lawrence Bagby), take cover in a nearby forest. There, they meet stranded British intelligence officer Oberon (Kirby Heyborne), who has time-sensitive information of vital importance to the Allied effort. Despite the various inner conflicts each of the soldiers carry, they band together to get Oberon safely back into Allied territory.
Saints and Soldiers achieved a widespread appeal probably because it avoided narrowly focusing on a relatively small Mormon audience by never mentioning Mormons or COJCOLDS by name
Saints and Soldiers director occasionally hits you over the head with a forced sanctimonious morality and character bonding between this band of brothers seems forced at times, and lack of swearing and gore is unrealistic
Probably one of the most successful of the fifth wave of mormon films, stands 7th all time in Mormon box office gross earnings.
Please consider making a donation by joining our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/MormonNewsRoundup
Email: kolob@mormonnewsroundup.org
Website: https://mormonnewsroundup.org/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonnewsroundup
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormon_news_roundup/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dives.lazarus/
X: https://twitter.com/NewsMormon
New episodes every night at 9:30 PM Eastern.
Please like and subscribe and hit the notifications bell. Remember remember, no unhallowed hand can stop this podcast from progressing!
Thanks so much for joining me to review this film, please like, subscribe, leave a comment, and join us next time for another episode of the MormonMovieReviews: Where LDS Movie Lovers Belong. So long.