Tears of the Sun

Starring: Bruce Willis, Monica Bellucci

RS: 1of 4 Stars

2003 Other

"Cowboy the fuck up," says Lt. A.K. Waters (Bruce Willis) to the scared Navy SEALs he leads on a mission to rescue a doctor (the gorgeous but miscast Monica Bellucci) treating patients in Africa. It's a John Wayne line in a John Wayne movie -- think The Green Berets -- that should have added up to more, given the timely subject of U.S. intervention in the Third World. A.K.'s orders are to save only the doc, a U.S. national, but she spurs his conscience (and libido) to rescue her Nigerian charges.

Director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) can stage action, but he can't save a trivializing, reactionary script featuring a Hollywood star (read America) as a global savior out to teach us all how to cowboy the fuck up.

PETER TRAVERS
(March 7, 2003)