There is a whole genre of war/army films that combines humour with actual army operations. Usually it involves small military units, and the humour comes from conflicts between characters in the group, and from absurd situations the script places the characters in. However, these films often come across as inappropriate, exploiting serious wars, and treating them with disrespect. Usually the filmmaker will think of a series of funny situations, stitch them together into a story, and then come up with way of making it look like he has genuine, relevant commentary on the war. But this is totally dishonest. The commentary in these films is as shallow as the cheap humour that abounds in them.
'Checkpoint' is a film about nothing. It merely entertains, but says nothing new or relevant about war. It doesn't make one think, or even feel anything. Oh, there will be a tragic death or two, but these are the diversions I mentioned, designed to give the illusion that the filmmaker started with a desire to make a statement about war, rater than to stitch together humorous scenes for our enjoyment. I find this film dishonest and empty, and I felt cheated watching it. I need more than cheap laughs, and I get particularly angry when the film hints it will provide more, yet never delivers on that promise.
A huge disappointment. And a bit of an insult to soldiers who actually fought the war, and didn't sell ammo to the enemy in order to get drugs.
'Checkpoint' is a film about nothing. It merely entertains, but says nothing new or relevant about war. It doesn't make one think, or even feel anything. Oh, there will be a tragic death or two, but these are the diversions I mentioned, designed to give the illusion that the filmmaker started with a desire to make a statement about war, rater than to stitch together humorous scenes for our enjoyment. I find this film dishonest and empty, and I felt cheated watching it. I need more than cheap laughs, and I get particularly angry when the film hints it will provide more, yet never delivers on that promise.
A huge disappointment. And a bit of an insult to soldiers who actually fought the war, and didn't sell ammo to the enemy in order to get drugs.