Urban Thought Collective

MOVIE BIASES:
Pre-sold - but I hear it’s long as hell.

MAJOR PLAYERS:
Derek Luke, Laz Alonso, Michael Ealy, director Spike Lee

Logline:
A cold-blooded murder by a World War II vet (Alonso) in 1983 unravels a flashback involving the untold story of the Buffalo Soldiers, the first all-black infantry unit in the U.S. Army, and the bond they form with an Italian village while trapped behind enemy lines, particularly the friendship formed between Pvt. First Class Sam Train (Omar Benson Miller) and a young orphan boy (Matteo Sciabordi) who speaks no English.

The Deal:
Spike is fellow alum. Spike is responsible for some of my favorite and most important movies of all-time (“Malcolm X,” “Mo’ Better Blues,” “Do the Right Thing,” “Bamboozled,” etc.). Spike is an independent filmmaking icon/oclast. And Spike…needs an editor. Or, better yet, Spike needs someone he respects to tell him no sometimes.

The story of the Buffalo Soldiers, particularly in light of the litany of whitewashed WWII movies in the Hollywood ether, needs to be told; there is no denying that. What should have been denied is the epically superfluous 2 hour, 46 minute runtime filled with a bloated framing story and novel adaptation pacing that comes off like a slow, mirthlessly executed history lesson.

But lessons to be learned there are, from the soldiers’ reception of Axis Sally (the propagandist “Kraut version” of Tokyo Rose) audio to the level of danger within the ranks from their own, paler infantrymen. The assault on the Serchio River has some gruesome, “Private Ryan”-esque action. The culture clash between the African-Americans and Italians is particularly interesting, as is the beautiful cinematography of the Italian countryside. “Miracle” has promise.

A lot of that promise, however, squanders itself on central, wide-eyed, “Oh my lawdy” Sam Train, a performance by Omar Benson Miller that, for all his innate charm, comes off as a borderline caricature of the Southern black faithful. His love for the boy is real, fairly well constructed and acted, yet wholly undermined by a slathering of empty, country-fried bible talk. Alongside some truly one-dimensional (even for those times) portrayals of white folk is Michael Ealy’s leering and obvious Bishop, all gold tooth sizzle and very little steak. Derek Luke, as usual, acquits himself well as the leader/conscience of the group, Staff Sergeant Aubrey Stamps, who wholeheartedly embraces Italy’s fairly racism-deficient hospitality: “I feel more free in a foreign country than I do in my own.” Artists like Baldwin, Baker, and others I’m sure felt the same way once they made it to Europe. The true star of the film turns out to be Laz Alonso (Stomp the Yard), a rapidly rising actor with star potential and some serious acting chops. While the ladies may covet his looks, Alonso’s appeal extends past his fairly thankless interpreter soldier role; he always seems to be emotionally present in his scenes.

The same cannot be said for the production as a whole. Some scenes play out too long. Some scenes are flat-out unnecessary. Some story choices make no sense whatsoever or blunt whatever their purpose is supposed to achieve by the lack of dramatic propulsion throughout. “Miracle” is ambitious but undisciplined, weighted down by sloppy, sluggish storytelling (the heavy subtitling alone will keep my aging mother out of the theater).

Spike, I love ya. I will always see whatever you do opening weekend out of compulsion, support, and alumni brotherhood. You are a creative wunderkind who has a talent for advancing the American experience by highlighting the Diaspora of the AFRICAN-AMERICAN experience. As an artist, I realize that sometimes you have to get something out of your system before you can do better or your best work. Now that you’ve done your war epic, bring on the great stuff! And an editor!

@@ REELS
(TWO REELS)
Extra medium.

UTC’s resident film critic Edwardo Jackson is the author of the novels EVER AFTER and NEVA HAFTA, (Villard/Random House), a writer for The 213 Magazine, and an LA-based screenwriter. Visit his website at www.edwardojackson.com where his new novel I DO? is available NOW.