USA 1997
Director: Ridley Scott Actors: Demi Moore
The Texas Senator Lillian DeHaven (Anne Bancroft) is a strong advocate of women's rights. Especially in the military, she sees a tremendous pent-up demand for "equal rights", as many positions are completely inaccessible to women. In order to prove that the "weak gender" has also grown up to tough military tasks, she causes Jordan O' Neil (Demi Moore) to participate in the training of the world's hardest combat unit, the Navy Seals. In the case of high military forces, this "burglary into the male world" is rejected, but one is sure enough: A woman will not endure for a long time. Contrary to expectations, Lieutenant O' Neil holds his ground with the Seals. And this despite the fact that she is ejected by her comrades and is drilled extra hard by chief instructor John Urgayle (Viggo Mortensen). To top it all off, Senator DeHaven has something else in mind than fighting for women's rights.....
Whoever devaluates the film as "Emanzenstreifen" a là "Powerfrau kähr fights for the women's movement" is wrong about the film. Of course, it is about gender equality, but emancipation tends to take a back seat. It is rather about the assertiveness of a person who doesn't really belong there. Most of the film is about the very well staged training as an elite soldier. This part strongly reminds us of the similar passage in Stanley Kubik's "Full Metal Jacket" and makes it clear to the last doubter that such a training is definitely not a piece of cakewalk. In my opinion, the leading role of the soldier O' Neil was well cast by Demi Moore. This well-trained actress is the role of a tough elite soldier. Another advantage of the film. The whole story "Frau-ist- bei-den-Navy-Seals" is surrounded by a not very original, but quite interesting frame story. (Senator sacrifices her ideals for her own career). All in all, a successful film. But there is also cause for criticism: as beautiful as the US military might be. At times it is simply "too beautiful". The American armed forces are being glorified in a way that it is no longer funny. Especially at the end of the day, all clichés in this respect are perfectly served. The Navy can only thank the producers for such a positive, honourable and heroic description. In this respect, the director has clearly gone too far, which is why the film really doesn't deserve a seventh star.
In short: a good film, but in some cases it turns into a "Navy advertising film".
A movie review by Jörn
