The Last Full Measure

Starring: Sebastian Stan, Alison Sudol, Asher Miks Fallica, Bradley Whitford, William Hurt, Christopher Plummer, Samuel L. Jackson, Diane Ladd, Amy Madigan, Peter Fonda, Ed Harris, Jeremy Irvine, Linus Roache, John Savage
Directed by: Todd Robinson
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, War
2020

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: 34 years after dying valiantly in the Vietnam War, an Airman's war buddies make one last push for him to be awarded the Medal of Honor.

Review:

Tim: I enjoyed The Last Full Measure. As of 2020, we've had dozens and dozens of Vietnam War movies over the decades since that conflict. This movie will never be counted among the greatest movies about that war, but it does offer an interesting, unique viewpoint about that conflict. The film is a bit paint-by-the-numbers and it offers a story that feels familiar to us, but none of these things make the movie not worth seeing. It's absolutely worth it to learn about the story of Airman William H. Pitsenbarger. This movie is never more than good, but it's a solid movie.

I really appreciated the film spending most of its time reflecting on the experiences of the Vietnam War, three decades later. That's what felt special to me. Now, it's not like this is unique- Spike Lee did in this year as well, with his overrated Da 5 Bloods. But, it's still a story worth exploring. Each of the men in this film are still struggling with the deadly events of the Vietnam War. They've been free of that conflict for decades, but it never left them. The movie does a good job of showing how events like those depicted here never leave you. It's interesting to see these soldiers still haunted by the events and the process they go through to try and have something good come out of Airman Pitts' sacrifice.

The story itself is solid, but it felt like it's been done before. We see scenes of the conflict of the Vietnam War, which will be familiar to anyone who's watched many war movies. These scenes are fine, but the movie didn't have a large enough budget to really make them stand out. The film focuses on the individuals verses the scope of the conflict. The battle feels intimate because it has to- there's just not enough budget to make these scenes really come to life. Now, none of these are bad and they don't detract from the film. It's just obvious these scenes aren't the focus of the movie. The story itself is so obviously an inspirational one, you never really question where the story is going or where it will end up. It's not a bad thing to tell a feel good story, but the predictability of the script does prevent this film from being even better. It's good, but never more than that.

The cast is really the standout and a big reason why I liked the movie so much. I'm actually surprised by what a terrific cast was assembled for this movie. You had to believe the intention was for the film to make a bigger splash than it did. This was never an awards contender, though. It quietly came and went and I'd bet most people missed it.

Sebastian Stan was good in the lead role. I've been an increasingly strong fan of his based on his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was fun to see him do something different here. He has talent as an actor and it was enjoyable to see him stretch his acting muscles a bit. Bradley Whitford was strong in a small supporting role. He was called upon to do quite a lot in a small role and he plays those different aspects of his character perfectly. I always love seeing William Hurt. While he didn't have a ton to do, it's obvious that he makes the movie better. It was great seeing Christopher Plummer here, in his final onscreen performance before his death. Plummer was a terrific actor and he will be missed. I bet he was proud of his work here and it's a strong way to conclude your career. Samuel L. Jackson is always so reliable. At this point, I've seen more Jackson movies than any other actor. He's always effective and that's the case here. Peter Fonda had a few nice moments in the film. Ed Harris is a terrific actor and he elevated his small role here with a strong performance. The rest of the cast worked well, especially Diane Ladd and Amy Madigan. I really did love the cast.

The Last Full Measure is a good movie. I enjoyed it and learning about this true story of an American hero. Todd Robinson delivers a stronger film than 2013's Phantom. This is always a good movie, but it really doesn't show any signs of being more than that. I want to praise Robinson for delivering a good movie, but this may be about the ceiling for him. He seems like a competent but not great director. While I wish this movie was better, I'll never complain too much about an effective film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Da 5 Bloods, Thank You For Your Service, Last Flag Flying, Phantom