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Man Down (2016) Reviewed By Jay

United States, 25 December 2015

 

Jay´s Review

Hold onto your seats! This post-apocalyptic drama/thriller will leave you exhausted as you watch a Marine just returned from a tour in Afghanistan as he desperately searches for his son.

 

Director Dito Montiel ("Empire State") worked with author Adam G. Simon to create an R-rated screenplay based on Simon's story. There is very little I can tell you because the effectiveness of this film depends on its audience, what we see, what we deduce and what we learn. And there is plenty of all three!

 

The cast:

  • * Shia LaBeouf ("Transformers") is Gabriel Drummer, frantic about his son Jonathan, and what might have happened to him. He is also haunted by a devastating event.
  • * Jai Courtney ("Terminator Genisys") Devin is Gabriel's best friend since childhood. We see them suffer through Marine boot camp together and then later, watch him help Gabriel look for Jonathan.
  • * Kate Mara ("House of Cards") Gabriel's wife Natalie is also missing.
  • * Charlie Shotwell ("Captain Fantastic") Jonathan WANTS his father to find him and tell him everything will be okay. 
  • * Gary Oldman ("Dawn of the Planet of the Apes") Counselor Payton is there to help, but I felt his manner was supercilious and LOADED with 20/20 hindsight. I agree with Gabriel's assessment.

When the home front is so much like the battlefront, all a Marine can do is what seems necessary.

 

In my opinion, friends and every family with loved ones who have experienced traumatic events should see this excellent film. It provides better insight into these issues and their effects on the participants than anything else I have ever seen. And despite his rocky personal life, Shia LaBeouf is a talented actor who should have a stellar future. He just has to overcome that rocky personal life... Good Luck, Shia!

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