The first thing most people know and remember about War Horse is that it was made by Steven Spielberg. Spielberg is the Midas of Hollywood. Everything he touches turns to gold. Unfortunately, this description is something he has earned based on his history of work, not this current picture. I am not sure why I was such put off by this film. It is Spielberg’s obsession with wars-World War II, aliens attack the world, or in this case World War I? It is impossible not to be pulled into people sacrificing their lives, which is one reason Spielberg paints on this canvas. Without this background, his movies often lack an emotional depth. One of his better pictures I have liked was The Terminal. You feel for the characters in this film. Like ET, like Jaws, the main character in this film is non-human. This movie could have been called “A Horse’s Life” or “Saving Private Horse”. You take a backdrop of a war, add in an adorable horse-and you have a cheap trick. Of course you are supposed to pull for the heroes to win. But in a Spielberg film it has become a cliché. The devil in me almost wants things to go terribly wrong just so I couldn’t predict the next scene. But-Yawn!-it doesn’t. How did this film get nominated as a Best Picture?
Saving Private Horse! Hilarious. I know why I was so put off by this film...because it sucked. And it was as realistic as boobs in LA.
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