REVIEW: IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH

Typically, we'll shy away from any kind of movie that we hear/read is anti-American.

Wifey and I love this great nation of ours and are patriotic so when a film comes along that we feel unfairly characterizes our beloved country and casts it in a negative light for the world to see we simply won't waste our time with it.

In The Valley Of Elah was a film that came highly recommended even if we were a little hesistant given what little bit we already knew about it's storyline.

Here's the trailer:



HUBBY'S REVIEW

I was fascinated to learn of the Biblical connection to this movie. The valley gets it name from the Elah Tree, a type of oak or Terebinth Tree. This large and old Elah Tree still remains in the valley, reminding visitors of the day when trees proliferated in the Shephelah.

The best view of the valley is from the commanding hilltop of Azekah. This strategic city was wisely fortified by Rehoboam, and it was one of the last cities to fall to the Babylonians in the invasion of Judah in 586 B.C.

The valley below - the Valley of Elah - is the location of the epic battle between David and Goliath.

Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman wrote it best, "In the Valley of Elah, the first film Paul Haggis has written and directed since Crash, is exactly the sort of movie America needs right now — a lacerating, bone-deep inquiry into the war in Iraq, one that struggles to find meaning in the very chaos of that conflict. It's no secret that those of us who have never been in a war have probably ingested much of what we 'know' of the experience of combat from the movies. In the Valley of Elah isn't a combat film per se, but its dramatic power is rooted in the violent mystery of battle — in the awe and anxiety and, yes, the curiosity we feel when we imagine our soldiers in a place like Iraq and think, What is it that defines this war? This particular hell? The film is actually a Stateside murder mystery."

In that sense, it is an engrossing murder mystery, but also an in-your-face anti-war, anti-American statement. Political commentary aside, it also features a mesmerizing performance from Tommy Lee Jones.

I should also mention that I took issue with Jones' character describing to another character the story of David and Goliath. In essence, he goes on and on about how the Bible is all allegorical and a book of nothing but metaphors and good stories that could teach a lesson. There is absolutely no truth to them whatsoever especially not when it comes to the story about a young shepherd boy killing a fearsome giant.

Just looking at that within the context of the story (setting - both cultural, geographic, political), and in relationship to the type of character that was uttering such nonsense, it didn't seem plausible since most rugged men and women like Jones' character that I know in that part of the country (military families no less) all have a firm foundation and faith in Jesus Christ and His Word in the Holy Bible.

So, again, if realism is what they were after, they failed miserably there and I guess decided that it was an acceptable ommission in order to perpetuate the anti-war, anti-American theme of the movie. This is where things became transparent for me.

Regardless of which side of the political fence one sits on, In the Valley of Elah's power can't be denied and the strong acting must be appreciated.

Jones makes the father's pride, determination, stubbornness, patriotism, and love extremely, utterly believable, sympathetic, and involving. He produces a stiff ex-soldier whose clipped speech and manner hide a seething mass of apprehension and guilt. His low-key turn as a man forced to question everything from the kind of father he was to the nature of the country he fought for is moving.

Even so, I gave it 1.75 Ben & Jerry's out of 5. It just didn't impact me like it did for others.