The Monuments Men Review

George Clooney's latest venture in the director's chair is his World War II drama about art scholars who travel into the heart of war to protect the art, and ultimately the cultures that the Germans seek to destroy. It's a pretty intriguing premise, and certainly something I've never seen before. So, this film had my attention from the moment I first heard about it. Initially, there was some talk of it being a legitimate Oscar contender. And it originally had a December 2013 release date, prime time for a late Oscar hopeful to jump into the mix. However, it was pushed back to a February 2014 release, wiping out any Oscar buzz surrounding it. After watching it, though, I pretty much understand the delay.

As I said, Monuments Men offers an interesting premise and story that isn't one of the most oft told of WWII. It's unfortunate that the movie itself doesn't really live up to the real-life story's potential. There was nothing about the movie that I found overtly terrible, but it just didn't offer the kind of dramatic punch you'd expect from such a project. And it's really too bad considering the amount of talent involved...

The cast is very impressive. I mean, there are big names galore here. George Clooney stars as well as directs. Matt Damon, John Goodman, Bill Murray and Cate Blanchett all appear in major roles, and they all do a very nice job. The acting certainly was not the problem. 

One of the biggest issues I had with Monuments Men was the sense of apathy I felt. All the characters seemed to have a back story that we were supposed to care about. I didn't, though. I liked the characters themselves, but I unfortunately felt no connection at all to them. I had a reasonably good time watching them interact and such, but if they were ever in danger, I wasn't as affected as I should have been. 

The film is also loosely structured. The characters seemed to float from one location to the next without much transition at all. And I floated along with them, never getting too engaged. I really wanted to get engrossed in the movie. I made an effort to do so. I just couldn't feel as interested in the film as I was in the story itself. 

Monuments Men wasn't a completely middling affair. Much of the appeal came from the stars. Nearly the entire cast had the capability of taking over a scene at any moment, and there were a number of instances where they did. I found myself smiling after many scenes simply because of the actors. It's just a shame the script couldn't keep up with the cast themselves. 

Clooney's direction was also a bright spot. It was all amiable enough, and there was a consistently likable tone throughout the movie. I just wish his writing was as good as his acting and directing abilities. 

Monuments Men was not a bad movie by any means. There were plenty of things I didn't like that I wish were beefed up. But, I can't say I disliked it. If you're interested in the source material, as I was, and have a free schedule this weekend, it's fairly diverting in its own right. I'll probably never watch this movie again, but I can't say I regret seeing it. That being said, I wouldn't suggest seeing it in theaters unless you're attached to a certain aspect of it, such as the cast or the story itself. It would be a solid rental for everyone else.

Conclusion

The Monuments Men is loosely structured and not near as compelling as it should be, but a great cast and amiable direction keep things reasonably entertaining. The movie has a story worth telling, but a tighter script and sharper narrative focus would have made all the difference. 

Rating: 6.5/10