Do you think a piece of art is worth one man’s life? Director George Clooney attempts to answer this question in ‘The Monuments Men’, a war drama about a group of art historians, curators, and museum directors who must rescue countless art pieces stolen by the Nazis during World War II.
As ‘The Monuments Men’ presents itself as a drama with plenty of humorous moments in it, you can always count on Bill Murray to provide most of the comedic relief. As Sergeant Richard Campbell, his jabs at other soldiers and his one-liners in the most critical of situations are most appreciated. While a few roads they take are the ones less traveled by, these men fight for a different cause. Since many people may not share the same fervor for Western culture, it’s a clever way to win and maintain our attention.
The cinematography is one that reflects the tone of this film. As with most war films, the color scheme looks washed out, but as our “monuments men” are tasked with bringing life back to those who appreciate their existence and/or deeper significance, it makes sense that the cinematography (thanks to Phedon Papamichael) is a bit more colorful than most war films (but only slightly to maintain that war atmosphere).
Alexandre Desplat, composer for ‘The Monuments Men’ orchestrates an epic and patriotic score for listeners to enjoy. In many parts, it plays well to the humor especially when these men—well past the typical age for a soldier—must go through basic training.
Screenwriters George Clooney and Grant Heslov manage to keep the plot moving but the script seems to jump back and forth a lot between the characters being on separate missions. While some events remain inevitable by the nature of their mission, the story seems to be left without much conflict. Whether or not this holds true to either the novel or the true events of which this film is based, it provides less for the audience to care about regardless of feelings towards countless works of art.
Other problems that arise from the constant jumping back and forth are the lack of character development and the chances to get to know (and eventually) relate to any of the characters. It’s understood that these men feel the need to steal back their stolen art, but the question as to why we, as an audience, should care about these masterpieces is left in the air. Perhaps if ‘The Monuments Men’ had been turned into a mini-series, we would’ve been given a much larger window to get to know these characters and why they’re so passionate towards art and architecture. We would also get a deeper look into the consequences suffered had there not been anyone to take back these pieces. Additionally, considering that ‘The Monuments Men’ is only 118 minutes, spending more time on the script to include this information would’ve made for a fuller script and a more satisfying experience.
‘The Monuments Men’ pokes fun at itself quite a bit in this movie, which works for a while since the main premise is about men risking their lives for an aspect of human society that so many (i.e., in this film, government officials) deem unessential. The opening sequence almost makes you question whether or not you’re in for a more comical experience than you had expected. However, there are a few surreal moments in this film, so it’s not a complete ruse. Still, too many self-aware moments make less room for the actual point of the film and genuine appreciation for the mission to which the men of the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program were dedicated.
‘The Monuments Men’ while providing some pretty fun moments and having experienced actors at the forefront to help tell its story feels like a bit of a letdown with its jumpy and disorganized script.
Jim’s Rating: 6.8/10