Saints and Soldiers (2003)

I was in Family Christian Bookstore before Christmas and was browsing through the DVD rack and saw a film called Saints and Soldiers. The film is based on the actual events surrounding the Malmedy Massacre where 84 U.S. prisoners were shot by the Germans in World War II. The film uses that real event to catapult the story forward and is about four soldiers that avoid that German slaughter to find themselves behind enemy lines, looking for a way home. The film had garnered multiple Best Picture awards at a minimum of 13 film festivals and looked like a high quality product.

I checked on Netflix and found it available so I ordered it and I watched it last night. Saints and Soldiers is very good film with incredibly high production value, considering it was shot for under $1 million. The costumes, props, vehicles and planes are all authentic and the actors are up to the task. The cinematography is amazing and the soundtrack, reminiscent of the soundtrack from Saving Private Ryan, was composed by J. Bateman and Bart K. Hendrickson and is powerful and moving, eliciting a sense of heroism and sacrifice.

The most intriguing storyline in the film revolves the interaction between two of the four soldiers, Private Stephen Gould, the medic, played by Alex Niver and Corporal Nathan "Deacon" Greer, a sharpshooter played by Corbin Allred. Deacon is nicknamed as such because of his strong faith in God, where Gould has determined God does not exist. Both have seen the horrors of war and use those experiences to validate their differing opinions on the Almighty. It's an interesting dynamic and, over the course of the story, evolves into a very satisfying conclusion.

The film has occasional violence, but it is very limited in actual bloodshed and is 99% less graphic than other recent war films such as Saving Private Ryan. The real story involves the journey of these men as they try to escape from behind enemy lines and reach safety.

I want to support these filmmakers so I will make sure and purchase this DVD. It’s rated PG-13 and it is a film I will make sure my children watch when they are able to handle the occasionally intense subject matter. If you can, check this film out.

You can watch the Trailer Here.