DVD review: Buffalo Soldiers (From Barry And District News)

DVD review: Buffalo Soldiers

BUFFALO Soldiers is supposed to be a satirical comedy about one military man's battle to relieve boredom of the Cold War.

Yes, it stars Joaquin Phoenix - but don't expect a repeat performance of Gladiator. Phoenix plays 317th Supply Battalion Clerk Ray Elwood, stationed outside Stuttgart at the Theodore Roosevelt Army Base.

Elwood's scheming is threatened when he steals a $5 million cache of weapons and tries to cut a killer deal.

The character is meant to come across as a loveable rogue, but his casual disregard for human life fuelled by a greed borne of his boredom is, in itself, boring!

Officially, his day job is battalion secretary to the inept but caring Commander Wallace Berman (Ed Harris). On the side, there's everything from selling locals' stolen Mop'N'Glo to cooking heroin for ruthless Military Police Sgt. Saad. Oh, and he's having an affair with his commander's wife.

His part in the arms deal, Berman's jealous wife, an insane Turkish drug dealer all combined with lust, betrayal, and murder should make for a good movie. But sluggish dialogue and poor attempts at humour fail to live up to its promise.