smiba Reviews

Band of Brothers (2001)

Not just patriotic stuff and flag waving.

[9/10 · 14 August 2005]

As a TV Series, Band of Brothers is formidable. Every episode is like a short movie. Acting is great although I didn't know any of those actors. Filming is much more beautiful than in any other American war movie.

Saving Private Ryan was only made for American audience. This one is made for Americans, Europeans and Asians because, like most of European war movies, it shows realistic sides of war. Like in the second episode (was it?) one of the soldiers try to tease German prisoners and discover one of them is actually American. And MANY TIMES they mention that most of the German soldiers in the western front are kids and grandpas because Russia is doing the major work. Also they mention how much Britain does for Europe (They tell how many men Britain lost in a battles etc)

Americans are not shown as heroes, they steal stuff etc. after capturing villages.

Who should watch this series? Everybody. Nobody should get any patriotic feelings from it. If you like it, I would recommend these movies: All quiet in the western front, Stalingrad, Winter War. As realistic stuff but years before BOB.

Rukajärven tie (1999)

I prefer older ones.

[6/10 · 16 April 2005]

So you have just seen Talvisota (Winter war) or Tuntematon Sotilas (Unknown soldier) and you think this quite new Finnish war movie must be at least as good? Then it will be a disappointment.

You haven't seen any other Finnish war movie yet? Then you may like this. Filming is beautiful and there is lot of action but still its only a love story in war. And thats not the only Hollywood cliché there, like you can read from other comments. I think Olli the director was not ready to make realistic war movie, framom framsta linjen (etulinjan edessä) was better movie and thats maybe because of experience of the director. Its not showing the Finnish fathers going to the battlefield because they need to keep their independence. Its not showing how they fight with poor equipments and realize the horror of the war. Its just a movie about bicycle squad going behind the enemy lines and then running through it and shooting like mad mans without any sense. (Oh yeah and there was this love story too.) These soldiers were winter war veterans? ... maybe they got shell shocked badly.

I prefer Talvisota, thats the best war movie ever made.

ShellShock: Nam '67 (2004 Video Game)

The most realistic Vietnam game ever made *May contain little spoilers*

[22 February 2005]

When I first played it, I though its just another shooting game. But after few levels, I was so amazed I didn't know what to do. Everything is just perfect. Plot is nice (although I hated those special force missions) graphics are OK, sounds are unbelievable, there is a whole jungle in your house and Vietnamese soldiers shouting "Americans, go home". You can buy drugs, boom boom Vietnamese ladies and kill civilians, everything that happened there. Only thing I didn't like was Vietnamese soldiers that came from nowhere in ultimate killing missions, scripting was poor.

Forget Men of Valors and Conflict Vietnams, this is everything that Vietnam war game can offer you. Its like watching art movie, you don't know should you scream or shut down the TV.

I recommend for every war game/movie freak.