It's not a blow your socks off action war epic. It's a small, dialogue driven suspense story. Most of the performances are very well done. There are a few questionable editing choices and some drawn out sequences. But in my opinion it's not as bad as most of these reviewers are saying it is.
Recon
2019
Action / Biography / Thriller / War
Recon
2019
Action / Biography / Thriller / War
Plot summary
Four American soldiers in WW2, after witnessing the vicious murder of an innocent civilian at the hands of their platoon Sergeant, are sent on a reconnaissance/suicide mission led by a local partisan.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
November 09, 2020 at 01:47 AM
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
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Nothing amazing but not terrible
Recon ... Seriously?
Supposedly based somewhat on true events, Recon is a basic, low budget take about 4 soldiers who having just completed a mentally scarring mission are promptly sent back out to perform recon and report on enemy movements among the snow - capped Italian mountains during World War 2. The overarching theme is of soldiers already struggling with the consequences and psychological toll of previous actions, being thrust into another compromising situation. The movie is Robert Port's (an Oscar winning short filmmaker) feature debut and he is clearly less invested in military minutiae and more interested in seeing where these characters go from the film's harrowing opening scene, which unfortunately is also better than anything that follows.
Port in my opinion, needed to spend a little more of the film's production budget on getting more accurate technical military advice. Because although the acting is of an acceptable standard, the reconnaissance soldiers we see depicted, just behave so incongruously, it's just too much of an ask, that we viewers are expected to believe in and sympathise with them.
I've only had limited military training and experience, but seriously. Soldiers behind enemy lines wandering haphazardly, shouting and arguing constantly amongst themselves, grouping together to make easy targets, not searching people they come across properly, especially considering the aforementioned opening scenes? Absolutely nothing rings true. I mean I literally wanted to reach through the screen and throttle Private Asch myself. He just never shut up and was seemingly oblivious to the fact that a noisy, careless soldier such as himself would likely attract enemy attention to either himself, or his fellow soldiers. Simply confounding all around!
Recon looks good, for a small scale production. It's just a pity that after a compelling opening stanza, bizarre narrative set - ups and script decisions make the finished film so ineffective in conveying its worthy themes concerning post traumatic stress disorders among front line military personnel.
Nothing here.
Every story needn't be told and Recon is another.
The lead Ludwig says nothing and cries all film. All the characters are high and mighty and then incoherently babbling and crying the next. Do what you're going to do already, often my thoughts. Its not woeful, it's not really anything.