I'm wary of indie cinema in general and anything set in Cleveland in particular (A Christmas Story a noteworthy exception), but I had heard good things about this film and decided to give it a try.
Battle follows the story of one Kelly Ernsweiler (Shia LaBeouf), a smart-aleck from just over the border from Shaker Heights, one of the wealthier communities in the Cleveland area. Kelly takes part in WWII re-enactment battles, but has trouble following the scripts; he steals German uniforms and changes the outcome of the skirmish. In school, he lips off to his history teacher about his glib coverage of the Civil War; and even to his parents, he's kind of sharp and short. Kelly is a young man making his own mess with his quick brain and quicker mouth, but at one battle he meets what might be a kindred spirit, wealthy Bart Bowland (Elden Henson), who shares most of the same interests, he just happens to live in a mansion in Shaker Heights. The two boys get along well, Bart trying to sand down some of Kelly's rougher edges, when trouble between then starts to crop up in the form of Bart's older sister, Tabby (Amy Smart). Kelly falls for the pretty, older woman, and Bart starts to sour on him.
LaBeouf is highly engaging as the wise-ass Kelly. It's impossible (well, it's impossible for me) not to like him, because while he is mouthy, he's also usually right. Kelly knows he's meant for something more, and LaBeouf portrays very sharply his edgy energy in trying to figure out exactly what that is. For a while he's convinced it's Tabby, unlikely though that may be.
The problem with the film, as engrossing as the first two-thirds are, is that it doubles back on itself. Suddenly Kelly's wit is a liability, not an asset; his rejection of authority morphs into a rejection of reality, and all of his character flaws that make him so interesting are now suddenly regarded as mere selfishness. Kelly himself never changes, it's just that how we are meant to look at him does; and in the end he achieves 'redemption' by dulling his acerbic wit and acting more normal (though he's given a consolation prize in Shiri Appleby, so it's not all bad).
I'm a little surprised this film was the winner of the Affleck/Damon driven Project Greenlight project; while it displays some sharp humor and strong acting (and a nice supporting cast including one of my favorites, William Sadler), ultimately the movie betrays not only its own roots but the unspoken indie creed of be yourself and you will find happiness. Indeed, the message of Battle is subvert your intelligence and be part of the crowd and you'll be okay. Which, okay, is probably more honest than the first one, but it's a hell of a lot less satisfying to watch.
Battle follows the story of one Kelly Ernsweiler (Shia LaBeouf), a smart-aleck from just over the border from Shaker Heights, one of the wealthier communities in the Cleveland area. Kelly takes part in WWII re-enactment battles, but has trouble following the scripts; he steals German uniforms and changes the outcome of the skirmish. In school, he lips off to his history teacher about his glib coverage of the Civil War; and even to his parents, he's kind of sharp and short. Kelly is a young man making his own mess with his quick brain and quicker mouth, but at one battle he meets what might be a kindred spirit, wealthy Bart Bowland (Elden Henson), who shares most of the same interests, he just happens to live in a mansion in Shaker Heights. The two boys get along well, Bart trying to sand down some of Kelly's rougher edges, when trouble between then starts to crop up in the form of Bart's older sister, Tabby (Amy Smart). Kelly falls for the pretty, older woman, and Bart starts to sour on him.
LaBeouf is highly engaging as the wise-ass Kelly. It's impossible (well, it's impossible for me) not to like him, because while he is mouthy, he's also usually right. Kelly knows he's meant for something more, and LaBeouf portrays very sharply his edgy energy in trying to figure out exactly what that is. For a while he's convinced it's Tabby, unlikely though that may be.
The problem with the film, as engrossing as the first two-thirds are, is that it doubles back on itself. Suddenly Kelly's wit is a liability, not an asset; his rejection of authority morphs into a rejection of reality, and all of his character flaws that make him so interesting are now suddenly regarded as mere selfishness. Kelly himself never changes, it's just that how we are meant to look at him does; and in the end he achieves 'redemption' by dulling his acerbic wit and acting more normal (though he's given a consolation prize in Shiri Appleby, so it's not all bad).
I'm a little surprised this film was the winner of the Affleck/Damon driven Project Greenlight project; while it displays some sharp humor and strong acting (and a nice supporting cast including one of my favorites, William Sadler), ultimately the movie betrays not only its own roots but the unspoken indie creed of be yourself and you will find happiness. Indeed, the message of Battle is subvert your intelligence and be part of the crowd and you'll be okay. Which, okay, is probably more honest than the first one, but it's a hell of a lot less satisfying to watch.