I'm so use to seeing Steve James in support or minor roles. Alongside the likes of Chuck Norris, Michael Dudikoff, David Bradley, David Carradine and so on. It's a shame though, since he had the charisma, and the psychical abilities to be an action star. Hell, even the acting chops to be a leading man.
Three black US military prisoners facing court-martial escape while in transport, and find themselves hiding near the town of Riverbend. Which is run by a racist, and power abusive southern sheriff. So they help train the black citizens in military combat, and then take over the town by force demanding justice. This obviously leads to a standoff and causalities.
Director Sam Firstenberg (who also worked with James in three previous films) helms this strange blend of low-grade action exploitation and dramatic social tensions set in a small southern town in the 1960s. Heavy handed on both fronts, sometimes laughable in its depictions (the over-the-top sheriff) and resolutions (like the climatic hug-fest) despite its well-meaning attitude. They sure like the throwaway line; "The times are changing". But other times it's rather brutal in what transpires. Violence takes no prisoners. And it feels rather real in its escalation of violence breeds violence when everything doesn't go so smoothly. So tonally, it can be all over the place. Some story beats feels rushed. Like the romance between James' ex-soldier major and town widower (whose husband had just only died the day before at the hands of the town sheriff). And now she's deeply in love, and telling this to her deceased husband's gravestone. Just feels contrived. Others threads feel jarring like holding hostage all the white towns folks, even those on their side. Threatening to kill them if their demands are not met for fair justice. But you can tell from James' rational character it's all for show in getting them to follow his terms.
In the end it's a competent production, but not particularly memorable probably due to its TV like quality, misguided music and predictable writing that probably doesn't push the buttons hard enough when comes to an end. Although Steve James' level headed performance does a lot of the heavy lifting, and we do get to see him easily beat-town the mouthy sheriff.
"Well it's the same thing here. This is still war. A different of kind of war. But it's still war."
Three black US military prisoners facing court-martial escape while in transport, and find themselves hiding near the town of Riverbend. Which is run by a racist, and power abusive southern sheriff. So they help train the black citizens in military combat, and then take over the town by force demanding justice. This obviously leads to a standoff and causalities.
Director Sam Firstenberg (who also worked with James in three previous films) helms this strange blend of low-grade action exploitation and dramatic social tensions set in a small southern town in the 1960s. Heavy handed on both fronts, sometimes laughable in its depictions (the over-the-top sheriff) and resolutions (like the climatic hug-fest) despite its well-meaning attitude. They sure like the throwaway line; "The times are changing". But other times it's rather brutal in what transpires. Violence takes no prisoners. And it feels rather real in its escalation of violence breeds violence when everything doesn't go so smoothly. So tonally, it can be all over the place. Some story beats feels rushed. Like the romance between James' ex-soldier major and town widower (whose husband had just only died the day before at the hands of the town sheriff). And now she's deeply in love, and telling this to her deceased husband's gravestone. Just feels contrived. Others threads feel jarring like holding hostage all the white towns folks, even those on their side. Threatening to kill them if their demands are not met for fair justice. But you can tell from James' rational character it's all for show in getting them to follow his terms.
In the end it's a competent production, but not particularly memorable probably due to its TV like quality, misguided music and predictable writing that probably doesn't push the buttons hard enough when comes to an end. Although Steve James' level headed performance does a lot of the heavy lifting, and we do get to see him easily beat-town the mouthy sheriff.
"Well it's the same thing here. This is still war. A different of kind of war. But it's still war."
