Review: A whiny hero dampens exciting moments in 'The Wall'

Secret ending? No.

Running time: 81 minutes (~1.25 hours)

“The Wall” is an American war thriller in English.

The film is about an American soldier who is pinned down by an Iraqi sniper in a war zone. With only a wall to protect him, the soldier must figure out a way out of his precarious situation.

“The Wall” is directed by Doug Liman and written by Dwain Worrell. It stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Sergeant Allen Isaac), John Cena (Staff Sergeant Shane Matthews), Laith Nakli (Juba). It is rated M18.

“The Wall” looks and sounds like a superbly conceived thriller where a soldier must rely on his wits if he is to survive. The problem is that the central character, Isaac (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), generally ruins most of the setups by coming across as whiny, self-centred brat who has no business being in the middle of a war, let alone providing support for other soldiers. His performance as a conceited little complainer is unquestionably superb. However, taking this character in this direction smears a layer of irritation across what would have been a wonderful thriller in the vein of “Buried”.

Highlights

Fear and tension

“The Wall” does an excellent job of conveying the tension felt by soldiers venturing across territory that makes them prime targets for hidden snipers. The opening sequence captures that lingering, growing fear by subtly presenting elements that are out of place. Even after the sniper is revealed, his threat is hardly diminished, and becomes the driving force for almost everything Isaac does.

Captures the entire experience

The set design and make-up evokes the unbearable heat and discomfort of being in a desert, and compounds the already precarious situation that Isaac finds himself in. You can almost feel the horrible sensation of being in a desert (thanks, in part, to our real weather) even if you’re in a frosty cinema. It’s no wonder that we keep rooting for the protagonist to tough out his circumstances, and not give in to what the sniper wants of him.

Mind games

Midway through the film, our hero finds himself the victim of some mind games by the sniper, who’s looking to take advantage of his tormented state and background to mess with his head. It’s a particularly insidious move on the part of the villain, and makes us empathise all the more with Isaac.

Letdowns

A whiny protagonist

But as sorry as we we feel for the main character, there’s just no denying that he has got to be one of the worst soldiers around. He sounds like a spoilt brat who’s in way over his head, and how he got to his current position is a mystery. Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s portrayal dampens the gravity of the situation and at times, makes us question if we should be rooting for him at all.

Predictable backstory

“The Wall” also examines Isaac’s backstory as the story unfolds, to parallel the present danger with demons from his past. However, it’s also rather bland and expected. The supposed reveal about his background is telegraphed all the way from the beginning, thanks to the deliberate and awkward focus on trivial things. When we do finally learn about it, it’s hardly a surprise since the film has been reminding us about it from the start.

Uneven pacing

The film remains exciting for the most part. At some points, though, it becomes a pointless ramble, and this is where the pacing gets hit the most. The action infrequently sags, and turns what should be a film that has you on the edge of your seat into one that has you shuffling about in your chair.

“The Wall” has great moments of tension that could have been amplified by a compelling and deserving main character. Instead, we get a thriller that has a protagonist that’s incredibly irritating and unworthy of even being in the position he finds himself in.

Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? Yes.

Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? No.

Score: 3.0/5

“The Wall” opens in cinemas:
– 29 June, 2017 (Singapore)

Marcus Goh is a Singapore television scriptwriter, having written for Police & Thief, Incredible Tales, Crimewatch, and Point of Entry. He’s also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. You can find him on social media as Optimarcus and on his site. The views expressed are his own.

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