Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageBuffalo Soldiers (2001)
Director: Gregor Jordan
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
'War is hell, but peace - peace is fucking boring.' So say the US army grunts stationed in West Germany, four decades into the Cold War. What's a soldier to do with a concept like deterrence? With nothing to kill except time, these guys flog stolen arms, munitions and supplies, and then get high on the profits. Or they go crazy and start fighting among themselves. Either way, Specialist Ray Elwood (Phoenix) is doing just great until Top Sergeant Lee (Glenn) arrives to clean up the base. Mutually assured destruction ensues. Delayed by American sensitivities after September 11, Jordan's adaptation of a black comic novel by Robert O'Connor plays like a hard-corps Sgt Bilko - or Catch-22 without the catch. It's a very different take from Ridley Scott's dutiful Black Hawk Down. Genuinely edgy and often very funny, Buffalo Soldiers is a little glib, but it's anarcho anti-authoritarianism is especially welcome now [in 2003]. With toothy performances from Phoenix and Paquin (as Sergeant Lee's daughter), and a cool David Holmes score, this has 'cult hit' written all over it.Author: TCh
Cast & crew
Director: Gregor Jordan
Producer: Rainer Grupe, Ariane Moody
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Ed Harris, Scott Glenn, Anna Paquin, Gabriel Mann, Leon Robinson, Sheik Mahmud-Bey, Michael Peña, Glenn Fitzgerald, Dean Stockwell, Elizabeth McGovern full cast
Duration: 98 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Stephen Poliakoff discusses 'Glorious 39'
Stephen Poliakoff’s ‘Glorious 39’ is his first film for cinema since ‘Food of Love’ in 1997. Dave Calhoun met him
Is 'Paranormal Activity' the new 'Blair Witch'?
How does a film go from DIY experiment to box-office smash? 'Paranormal Activity' director Oren Peli explains
Steven Soderbergh on 'The Informant!' and 'The Girlfriend Experience'
We talk to Steven Soderbergh about his two forthcoming films: one featuring a porn star, the other a chubby Matt Damon
A gateway to all things 'New Moon'
In anticipation of 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon', Time Out is offering the chance to pick up a limited edition pack with three exclusive magazines and a free poster.
London Children's Film Festival
Read our exclusive reviews of films playing at the 2009 London Children’s Film Festival
The films that deserve a TV spin-off
With Roland Emmerich suggesting he'd like to make a '2012' TV spin-off, we propose some more movie-to-TV serialisations
The Coen brothers discuss 'A Serious Man'
Masters of contrary comedy, Joel and Ethan Coen have struck gold again with their latest, ‘A Serious Man’
Michael Haneke discusses 'The White Ribbon'
Dave Calhoun met with Michael Haneke in Munich to mull over the details of his Palme d'Or winner, 'The White Ribbon'
Ten inspirations behind 'Avatar'?
Time Out ponders the influences behind James Cameron's anticipated space-opera on the basis of the trailer
Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam
In celebration of the release of Pixar's 'Up' and Wes Anderson's 'Fantastic Mr Fox', read our rundown of fifty classic feature length animations
What do you think?
Post your review now