Taking Chance

A must see underrated movie. Incredibly moving! Powerful acting and drama. Based on real-life events makes it even more introspective. If you want to know what happens after someone pays the ultimate sacrifice, this is the movie to watch. I know it won a Golden Globe, but this is a story that deserves more!

Back in 2003, I read Steven Brill's account of the aftermath of 9/11 in the United States. One of the many stories in the account dealt with rumors among the families of the victims, that the human remains intermingled with the debris. Feelings ran so strong that the City of New York finally arranged for a review of the site by a committee of family representatives. What they found were that the workers at the site were sifting through the wreckage with a far higher degree of care and sensitivity than they could possibly have guessed. People, at the end of the day, care about people.

I viewed 'Taking Chance' in that context. The political heat that infuses some of the other comments, is surprising to me. I didn't see the movie as making any political statement at all. In fact, to the extent that one can be inferred, it is mildly negative on the Iraqi war, raising the question of whether all this grief was worth it.

What it is about, is the respect that ordinary people have for grief and sacrifice. To that extent, it is profoundly moving,

This movie represents what people from all over the world admire about Americans. This excellent film is so moving. They honor the sacrifice of a warrior who died fighting for his country. Thanks to guys like Chance Phelps the United States of America exist and freedom exist. Thanks to America there's freedom in the world.

This film is a lesson to every country that should learn how to respect a fallen hero. In the most advanced civilizations all along history, from the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Persians, the Chinese, etc. warriors have been honored by the civilian people and this will never change. America, keep reminding all of us how a brave nation should be like!!

Kudos to the American people. Thankyou.

To analyse this for its acting or deconstruct its camera angle and technique is to utterly miss the point. The undeniable truth of Taking Chance is that millions of people feel respect and gratitude to those brave enough to risk their lives for us. This movie is as much about them, as it is about the life a young marine who died young.

I'm the first person to argue against the propaganda of the Iraq war, or even Americas "Might is right" attitude, but those issues are utterly irrelevant to this movie.

This movie is about the respect and honour that everyone, from the lowliest baggage handler to the highest ranking officer should afford those who risk, and sometimes forfeit their lives in service of their country.

It doesn't matter whether the politicians are right or wrong - a footsoldier simply serves and trusts that his service is for the greater good, and for the protection of the freedoms that we enjoy.

This movie was incredibly moving, and when people call it boring or rant about its agenda, I have to ask if they have hearts of stone. Anyone with the minutest amount of human empathy can surely respect the tragedy of lives lost so young, even if you believe that they are misguided in their service.

What made this film so touching, was not the emotional journey of the escort, but the depiction of the genuine and heartfelt respect that ordinary Americans pay to the fallen. This was not contrived or made up. The average person has the humanity to put politics aside and honour the dead, and this movie was simply about that - the humanity and dignity and gratitude shown to the fallen.

I believe all war is wrong, and I despise Bush, but sometimes, unless we are to all roll over and hand our freedom over to those who do not share our values, soldiers such as Chance must go to war, and sometimes make the ultimate sacrifice. What is wrong with acknowledging and honouring that in a movie? America has fallen greatly in global opinion over the past decade, but this movie reminds me that ordinary Americans are compassionate, humane, decent people who, like the rest of us, have no control over those they elect to power, and only limited choices over whom to elect (if the elections are even run fairly in the first place).

This film was a respectful tribute to our servicemen and women who have fallen in combat in Iraq, and a lesson to Hollywood. This film allows any viewer, of any political persuasion, race, color, creed to honor (and grieve) in a respectful and deeply moving way through the journey of a Marine escort. This was not a travelogue, this was America at its best. The people in this film are people I recognize, although I am not from Wyoming. They represent the many families and friends I know who have lost young, vital men and women in combat. I am from a small rural state and I haven't seen anything from Hollywood to match this in a long time.