The Last Castle: Checkers Logic

Another oldie, but in a long line of Hate America flicks.

It stands to reason that Robert Redford -- renowned Leftist -- would only don the Uniform if it was to smear the American military. This ridiculous movie, full of liberal and movie cliches, preceded 9/11, so I guess I should cut it some slack, but Redford's pedigree has never been in doubt. He is a perfect example of the NIMBY limo liberal and I'll bet this script was like catnip to his ignorant and reflexive world view.

Moreover, this film partakes in the most egregious cliche of all: that every man in prison is anything but guilty. In this case, a military prison full of innocents who, in Redford's purple prose, are "still soldiers!" No, they're not. They're convicted felons: drug dealers, rapists, and murderers.

And yet the very restrictions of the command system they found too onerous to obey when they were soldiers are now no problem whatsoever, now that they are privileged to serve under hizzonor General Redford.

The only cliche more obvious is the one about the sadistic warden (James Gandolfini), who delights in oppressing these "innocents," but finally meets his match in Redford, who disobeyed an order from the President of the United States, of course to rescue men in an impossible situation in wartime. (It's always so: the hero cannot have anyone around him who is more intelligent or prescient that he is, so his disobedience is nothing more than misunderstood wisdom.)

The truth might not make as great a movie: that soldiers, for the most part, are honorable men. And when they become dishonorable (usually in very predictable ways), they must be punished. They are guilty and usually incorrigible, and the military's rank system means nothing to them. In addition, no officer would ever be placed in the general stockade population, as these "model" soldiers would rather frag an officer than get extra pudding at lunch.

To believe that Redford's character could somehow inspire them to duty and even the misplaced sense of honor this film espouses is juvenile, childish claptrap. Come to think of it, that's how I'd describe most of Redford's movies, apres Butch Cassidy. Instead of wasting your time on this loser, if you want to see a good military flick, I recommend We Were Soldiers Once, an outstanding example of honor, courage, and the American soldier.