With limited assistance from Lt. Kirklander (JASON PATRIC), Hank tries to find any sort of clue that might help him, and he finds that in his son's cell phone. Yet, the video on it taken in Iraq is mostly garbled, so while a local technician tries to salvage what he can and send it to Hank piecemeal, the former military man keeps digging.
He runs into resistance, though, from local cop Det. Emily Sanders (CHARLIZE THERON) who has her own issues in the form of constantly being belittled by her male comrades simply due to her gender, something her superior, Chief Buchwald (JOSH BROLIN) doesn't realize or simply overlooks.
With no missing person authority since this is a military matter, she tells Hank she can't help. That is, until a body is found in disputed civilian vs. military jurisdiction. Identified as Mike, that discovery creates an unlikely partnership between Hank and Emily.
As they interview those in Mike's platoon -- Specialist Ennis Long (MEHCAD BROOKS), Specialist Gordon Bonner (JAKE MCLAUGHLIN), Corporal Steve Penning (WES CHATHAM) and Private Robert Ortiez (VICTOR WOLF) -- they must overcome various obstacles as they try to find out what happened to the young soldier and why.
Violence includes one character striking another, and video that implies a military vehicle driving over a child, while we see the aftermath of deadly violence that occurred before the story begins or off-camera (including murder and war-related atrocities). Some of those images (including that of burned bodies and body parts, and the body of a man who's hanged himself) and other moments might be unsettling for some viewers.
Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, while tense family material includes the aftermath of parents learning of their son's death, and a husband killing his wife. Various thematic elements regarding that and other material are also present. Characters drink and/or smoke, and there's talk of drug use, but no views of anyone actually partaking in that behavior.
If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.
For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, there's some of that from flashing police lights.
For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, most of the cell phone video from Iraq is bouncy and/or shows a lot of camera movement.
All Rights Reserved,
(2007) (Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron) (R)
Alcohol/
DrugsBlood/Gore
Disrespectful/
Bad AttitudeFrightening/
Tense ScenesGuns/
Weapons
Moderate
Extreme
Extreme
Moderate
Moderate
Imitative
BehaviorJump
ScenesMusic
(Scary/Tense)Music
(Inappropriate)Profanity
Mild
None
None
Minor
Extreme
Sex/
NuditySmoking
Tense Family
ScenesTopics To
Talk AboutViolence
Extreme
Mild
Extreme
Heavy
*Heavy
CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.
(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).
Reviewed August 31, 2007 / Posted September 28, 2007
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