User reviews

This is a good movie. All the discussion about it surrounds the technology used in making it, and that's necessary, but it's not the whole story -- nor is it NOT the story as others would have you believe. The simple fact is that this is a well-acted and at times completely engrossing anti-war picture, one that is more often than not, yes, let down by some of the failings of trying to show off the tech. Some scenes come across as incredibly "stage-y" for lack of a better word, and the lighting can be overlit fluorescent too often (like a docudrama).

However, that being said, I did have the pleasure of actually being able to see this on 3D bluray and I must say it's absolutely the most stunning 3D I think I've ever seen. There's an incredible amount of depth to so many scenes -- sometimes it's showy, but sometimes it's in service of the story like when Billy comes home and the entrance hallway seems to stretch on forever out in front of him, inviting him in to its embrace but also providing a dark trap. The essential conundrum, the doublethink, at the center of his inner workings.

The politics of war are incredibly complex, and the human cost is disturbingly high. There are no wonder why those who give up their lives to fight oversea are honored with great dignity. But the big question in this war drama directed by Oscar Winner Ang Lee is: Are we honoring these soldiers the right way? That is an idea that this film takes a dive in, but not with enough impact. Lee's approach to the absorbing topic is too shallow of emotional touch. The greatest accolade Lee acquires in this picture is allowing it to shine with a unique visual innovation, and that is shooting the film with an unheard-of frame rate of 120 FPS to capture the immense atmosphere of the war sequences. It is a technological achievement that powerfully shows how far Hollywood has advanced in technological. Seeing this movie at a theater with an unusual frame rate that high is an alarmingly tough get as there are only six theaters around the globe that include this, with only two of these theaters planted in the United States. Set in 2004, this follows 19-year old Billy Lynn (played by Joe Alwyn), an Army specialist returning home from active duty in Iraq with his fellow squad members. On the day of a Thanksgiving home game at the Dallas Cowboys stadium, Billy, honored as a hero for his duty, and his squad members are brought together on a victory tour during the halftime show. During the tour, Billy is hit with flashbacks of the tragedies that occurred during the battle in Iraq including the death of his friend Staff Sergeant Shroom (played by Vin Diesel) as opposed to the American citizens fantasized perceptions of what they think happened over there. Along the way, he finds his heroism manipulated by film producers Norm (played by Steve Martin) and Albert (played by Chris Tucker) who are trying to land a movie deal out of the events that squadron's faced.

Based on the novel by Ben Fountain, this drama capitalizes on themes of patriotism and honor, and opens light on social issues that run between the grim realities of war and the distorted views of active combat by citizens back at home. The primary concern here deals with home civilians including the media exploiting the heroism soldiers acquire during active duty overseas, simply for our own personal gain. As disconcerting as it is, one thing this film proves is that unless you have been in active combat, you have little or no idea of what it is realistically feels like being in active combat overseas. Director Ang Lee makes an engaging point out of this concept. But alongside, the film also introduces these contradictions on how soldiers are celebrated by citizens for their active duty, yet people all over America continue to disdain war as an unnecessary bargain; an idea that the story never fully explores. From there on, the story slips into a jumbled mess and offers little emotional touch to the point where viewers are left with no impact. The film's emotional highpoints stand during the flashbacks of the title character and his squad fighting in Iraq which are powerfully shot and executed in authenticity. It's too bad that these scenes only make up a small portion of the near-two- hour runtime, while the majority the picture follows Billy and his squadron walking through the stadium during the halftime show with Destiny's Child performing and fireworks going off. If this manages to wring anything out of the story's framework other than its absorbing ideas, it is the performances, particularly Joe Alwyn as Billy and Kristen Stewart as his older sister, given the opportunity to flex her acting muscles. The rest of the cast offer some good on screen presences, operating with a sense of cynicism and humility. Looking for something Oscar- worthy though, you are probably better off looking elsewhere.

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk is a shallow war drama that fails to arrest viewers with its timely themes and Ang Lee's scattershot approach to an otherwise thoughtful examination of its eponymous character versus America's fantasized perceptions of war. Although the final product is disappointingly forgettable, some may admire Ang Lee's effort on embracing the film with his visual innovation. However, its a technological effort that is too early to introduce in major theaters at this point.

The moment the audience saw the first shot of Billy Lynn reaching for his phone, the audience gasped. Ang Lee's ambitious choice of filming at a frame rate of 120fps in a 4K and 3D format is beyond words. We become immersed into Billy Lynn's world, seeing the little details that we normally would not see in a film (imagine what Emmanuel Lubezki did in 'The Revenant' and times it by 5). The person I went with to see the film described it best, it was a very sensual experience not just from the cinematography, but also the interesting soundscape and phenomenal editing. There are small moments when what would be a mundane action becomes a trigger for Billy Lynn and his squad. Lee does not hold back in making the audience feel the PTSD of those soldiers which at times is beautiful done as well as a bit too much for those of us who have never experienced it. Now I could go on about how brilliant the film is technically and it's sure to get some Oscar recognition in that aspect, but all films revolve around a story.

What could have been an amazing film merely becomes an OK film because of the story's weakness. I read an article where the critic trashed Ang Lee, but to be honest it's not Lee who's to blame but whoever wrote the script. The script is so dull and because of that the audience never got the full immersion we were hoping to get. The only person we connect to by the end of the film is Kristen Stewart's character, yet that isn't even delved into. The relationships between the characters aren't developed very much except for one relationship that is developed WAY too fast and in the most unrealistic way possible. You can get a sense of a strong bond between Lynn and his squad, but just barely.

As for the acting, Kristen Stewart was definitely the standout. Joe Alwyn did a great job, too, but not the memorable debut performance I was hoping to see. Vin Diesel and Steve Martin are truly miscast (this may just be me being picky, but every time they came on screen I felt very uncomfortable).

To sum this up, I'm giving this movie a 7 out of 10 because of the technical brilliance and the experience of watching a film in this frame rate, though be warned that the story is very weak. Some people are going to find the 120fps very strange, but for the cinephiles who have an open mind, you'll be blown away.

This sees a couple of soldiers back on in the good US of A. But they are in between, because they are supposed to go back to the war zone. One in particular is praised as a hero, for what he did on the battlefield. And while he is not highest in rank, he is the one most are concentrating on. The story too, with his struggle and his flashbacks to the day that made him "famous".

There are quite a few stars in this, some in really small roles (like Vin Diesel or Kristen Stewart), but what is important, is that everyone involved gives their best and it shows on screen. You may know where this is going, but it still is a very fine watch. A tough movie to watch, with obvious stabs at many thins (media attention, praise but also false heroism and much more) ... it really is like a mirror showing a couple of bad sides of society. Then again, is there a chance to change?

Greetings again from the darkness. "Thank you for your service." For those of us who have never served in the military, we say the words because we don't know how else to show our appreciation. Do the words ring hollow to those in uniform? Maybe. Probably. But how else can we honor these brave souls? What if we have them share a stage with a pop singing group during halftime of a football game? It's this line between honor and propaganda that takes up much of the new movie from two-time Oscar winning director Ang Lee (Life of Pi, Brokeback Mountain).

The story is based on Ben Fountain's 2012 novel, and revolves around soldier Billy Lynn's and his fellow "Bravo" squad members as they make the rounds back home (in 2004) for publicity after their intense battle sequence is caught on camera. There is much at play here: how the soldiers interact with each other, how they are treated by the general public, how they are used by the team's owner and the Army for self-serving reasons, and how Billy juggles the stress of war, the spotlight of heroism, and the demands from his family.

Director Lee opted to experiment with the ultra-realism of the new 120 frames per second in 4k 3D, rather than the standard 24 fps. Though this may seem like a minor detail that shouldn't be addressed in a review of the movie, it's impossible to ignore this impact. Technical advancements in film and digital have resulted in some exciting new effects for movies, but this high speed approach creates a soap opera look and feel that will likely be disorienting to many viewers. Although the full effect will only be available in New York and Los Angeles (due to shortage of projectors), the clarity on the close-ups is distracting, while leaving the background quite fuzzy and out of focus. Many will find this new look to be "not right" for a movie, and prefer the traditional look. Others may embrace the heightened sense of reality … of being right there with the characters. Of course, this is Ang Lee's film, so there is no shortage of stunning visuals and expert shots.

Beyond the technical aspects, this movie is simply a bit clunky to watch, not very well written (screenplay by Jean-Christophe Castelli), not very well acted, and has an overall awkward and unfinished feel to it. Kristen Stewart plays Billy's sister, and her limited screen time is the best part of the movie. Newcomer Joe Alwyn makes a decent reluctant (and lucky) hero in playing Billy, but he doesn't have the chops to overcome the script weakness and the burden of carrying so many scenes. This is especially obvious in his unrealistic bonding scenes with cheerleader Faison (played by Makenzie Leigh). Their scenes together are nearly unwatchable.

Supporting work comes from Vin Diesel as Billy's philosophical officer in recurring flashbacks to the war, Garret Hedlund as the current squad leader, a miscast Steve Martin as team owner Norm Oglesby (a Jerry Jones type), and Chris Tucker as the incessantly yammering agent/producer trying to put a movie deal together for the soldiers. Other minor contributors include Tim Blake Nelson, Bruce McKinnon (in horrible make-up), Ismael Cruz Cordova, Deidre Lovejoy, and a couple of All-Pro players in Richard Sherman and JJ Watt.

Since there are some interesting and important elements to the story, the assumption here is that most effort went towards the experimental technical aspects. More attention to scene detail could have more effectively contrasted the soldier's take on war versus the never-ending inclination of Americans to turn most anything into more and bigger entertainment … even Destiny's Child isn't enough. The questionable filmmaking decisions leave us with the shell of a good story, and too many sappy close-ups of actors emoting directly to the camera lens. The soldier vs hero debate deserves better, and the propaganda aspect deserves a more critical eye.

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk gives us the workings of cinema master Ang Lee in this boisterous, ballsy film that wishes it was better than what it is. The film tells the story of a hero solider who returns home to be on display at a Super Bowl Halftime show, as he is about to make his long walk, he is plagued with bouts of PTSD that force him to recount exactly what happened to him. The film's concept is great, there's no denying that. This could have easily been a straight forward drama without all the technicalities that Ang Lee put into it. Yes, 120fps makes it VERY easy to look at but outside of that, the substance to make have some sustainability is just not there.

The film takes us on the journey of Billy Lynn from home, from the battlefield, from the halftime show. While we always know where Billy Lynn is coming from, we don't know where he is going. Lee creates a beautiful image but lacks developing any sort of meaningful relationship with Billy Lynn. Despite a strong performance from newcomer Joe Alwyn along with the rest of the cast, there's nothing really substantial here. The supporting cast featuring Garrett Hedlund, Kristin Stewart and Vin Diesel are all stellar in their own rights but without a well told story backing them up, their efforts feel useless.

Overall, Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk is beautiful to look at and definitely keeps in line with Ang Lee's Life of Pi more so than with any of his other films but what Life of Pi had in the way of story, this film lacks every step of the way. We know we're supposed to care about these characters, we are just not given a good enough reason to. If you're a fan of Ang Lee or cutting edge cinematography, definitely give this a watch. Outside of those two qualities, it's a film that is hard to recommend.

Recently with all the publicity about her role as Diana in "Spencer" I looked up to see which Kristen Stewart movies I might have missed. This is one, she has a rather small but very important role as Billy's sister.

Ang Lee is a master director, in this fictional story which looks like it could have been real he brings out many nuances and genuinely funny parts in almost every scene. The recreation of fighting in Iraq looks too real, it is very hard-hitting drama.

Billy comes home as a hero for fighting off several enemy after his sergeant was wounded. Unfortunately, as happens in battle, the sergeant did not survive. He and his Company B men are invited to attend a professional football game in Dallas, they are put into the halftime show. The story illustrates the great divide between the soldiers themselves and the people back home who have no idea what it is all about.

Excellent movie, my wife and I watched it at home on DVD from our public library.

Many people said it is an anti-war movie,I don't think so. This movie is far more than anti-war.Because it is not a rich story ,but a rich truth and an emotion. It doesn't want to give you an opinion about what war is, but show you an emotion about a young man and a war. A so-called hero came back from Iraq, how is his life?

In the real world, the truth and emotion are complicated. So it is hard to say what its theme is. Maybe the theme is to doubt our fake society Maybe the theme is to show the hero's confused life. However, they are parts of this movie. It is more like a section of Billy's life. He has family,battle companion, stranger and girlfriends. Sometimes he is distracted at his important moment,sometims all in front of him remind him of war. He sees and thinks.He might find that life is difficult to choose,finally he go back to the place where he belongs.

If you can feel you are Billy Lynn, you can feel how ridiculous this society is.Nobody understands you,people see what they want to see.the sad thing is, you can change nothing but follow the direction of fate.

If you don't have sensory substitution,this movie is boring.

From the beginning of Billy's halftime show， I can't help crying. I even can't detail the reasons of my tears. The emotion is so strong, so complicate and so advanced. I feel so sad about Billy's life.

I think it is a good movie, not very fun, but revolutionary.

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Ang Lee: "As a New Yorker it is always a great honor to come here, and thank you. I know this is not easy to put out the new technology - it is not just a new technology, a new habit in watching movies - the way you engage in it, I hope it is different. It is a big effort to convert the theater, so we can project in the way I was shooting this. Right after the making of the movie Life of Pi , which I have a different reason in shooting digital and 3D, one answer I found ... I discover to have more questions: this is just closer to what I see and my eye was cramming for more details, more clarity, more lights, more performance , more ways of studying human faces, more drama, so I am in the curve of searching for the new answers in what digital film can offer us and two years ago Tom Rothman came to me with this wonderful book, it is a coming of age story, of a young solider , he did something heroic, and been brought back to celebrated it in a climax in a Dellas thanksgiving football halftime show. I thought to my self half time into movie if I could put the half time show and over the top half time show and where the soldiers are at the center of it with the sensation of the battle scene that he actually fire fight the experience, it will be quit a movie so I decide to go this terrifying journey, it's a long journey cuz most of the time I feel like I don't know how to make movies, that's very insecure. I am a honest person, so I let all my crew know that you are not good enough for the job and I constantly reminded them and they are okay with that, it's been a very brave, and heartfelt brilliant cast and crew to work with, the experience has been precious, cuz with that clarity what comes along is the freshest of devotion to the new dream we are creating.

I often asked myself can you dream with clarity, no. But reality is the first thing we exam, so we can do... this is kind of experimental movie, I hope you keep an open mind. Now I just survived the first show ever, I know where I am survived, I was there wrecking(?), I've done a lot of premieres, but nothing like this, cuz I am launching a new medium (applause), so you are the second group of the first one ever to see this image at 120 frames per second both eyes, at 4K which is eight times more the resolution than the 2K regular movie in 3D and 28 foot-lamberts which is about 8 or 9 times more brightness than the regular 3D movie you see, I wanna thank Real D and Christie, those two projectors, the server company who holds 40 times the data of the regular movie and the studio who allows us really experiment and everybody who works with me cast and crew alike which is go for and see what happened. It is a humbling experiment, let's wait and see what happen with the movie I hope you enjoy it, that's an understate, I hope you open your mind to the new way we can make movies, thank you!"

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World Premiere, NYFF 54 Special Event, New York, New York. <> Oct 14, 2016.

In terms of visuals Billy Lynn's was very impressive, however I would ask, is this the right genre of film to showcase such technical cinematography? Obviously such stunning shots could only be a plus to the film but for a film that is really more about one's internal struggles rather than exterior conflicts I do find it quite an odd decision to make this film in such a way. I did go in expecting an all out war movie since I have heard of all of these things that Ang Lee is doing in this film, in terms of visuals. Which did leave be surprised but also disappointed at how few those scenes are. Essentially this film takes place within a time span of one day and all takes place at this football game? What?

Obviously there were flashback scenes and all but there were quite few and every time we jump back to the present time it just leaves be craving for the next flashback scene. I can understand this message that the film was trying to send about being considered a 'war hero', about all the costs and sacrifices that soldiers are making each day and the way they are treated. How decorated war heroes are just a sort of title, people will show you and tell you how much they appreciate your services and what not but when it comes to actually giving anything we never seem to be so eager to. It is a film that showcases this idea of being crowned a 'hero' and what it really means, and sure that was quite an interesting theme to look at.

But perhaps to make this whole story more impactful instead of having flashbacks tell us the story overseas we get a whole first half of the film showing it to us, before all of the victory tour stuff. It just makes it very hard for audiences to understand the implications and the sacrifices that they have made if this sort of flashback storytelling is used. It is often hard to make a good war movie that isn't based on a true story, this is likely because when audiences know that it is fictitious the stakes wouldn't be so high, and it won't really touch people's hearts so to speak. So both these elements combine to create the war's lack of importance which is a very bad thing to have happen.

In conclusion, I liked what they were trying to say, the underlying idea and theme of the film came indefinitely of a good place. However poor storytelling and lack of story in general really made this film suffer quite a bit.

A young soldier returns after the Iraq war lauded as a hero. But is he?

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk is not the stereotypical war film but more a study of how war affects everyone at home and on the battlefield. In particular how the realities of war are far different to what those not there are told.

This is fairly slow moving and probably lacks a real star performance to carry it through. Saying that I thought Joe Alwyn ( looking a lot like a young Matt Damon)did a pretty good job in the lead role. It's told in flashbacks which work pretty well.

This is an intelligent war film but won't appeal to the shoot em up brigade. It raises plenty of questions about crass the war is perceived and portrayed in America.

This is an enjoyable film with lots of messages but it doesn't quite hit the mark enough to be labelled a great film.

The war in Iraq is not going well and support for the war is fading. Billy Lynn (Joe Alwyn) is a 19 year old soldier from Texas. He is caught on camera in a heroic but failed attempt to save his sergeant Shroom Breem (Vin Diesel). He and his squad are brought back to America to do a hero's tour. Promoter Albert (Chris Tucker) is trying to sell their story for a Hollywood movie. Norm Oglesby (Steve Martin) is the war-supporting Dallas football team owner. He has invited the boys to join the patriotic halftime show. Billy falls for cheerleader Faison Zorn (Makenzie Leigh). In flashbacks, he spends time with his family and his older sister Kathryn (Kristen Stewart). The family is in medical debt after she suffered severe injuries. Her fiancée abandoned her due to her disfigurement which led to Billy vandalizing his car. In order to escape prosecution, he joined the Army. Anti-war Kathryn is guilt-ridden and desperate for Billy to leave the fighting.

I can see compelling aspects of Flags of Our Fathers within this Ang Lee movie. First of all, casting newcomer Joe Alwyn has its appeal and accompanying pitfalls. He has that ah-schucks All-American heroism but his lack of star power makes him blend in with the rest of the squad. Lee fails to alleviate that by filming him by himself. He only stands out when he first gets together with his sister Kathryn. I really like their chemistry. The risk caused some problem but ends up with a good payoff. It could have been handled better.

The other casting problem is Steve Martin. He doesn't fit this character. It's very fake and the fake Dallas Cowboys do not help. The fakeness devalues the serious message of the movie. They even have the fake Destiny's Child. It infects other aspects of the surrounding story. The clash with the roadies and the halftime PTSD could have been more visceral but everything is off. It's not quite real.

There is also Lee's use of high frame rate. It doesn't look bad on DVD but I understand some complained about the theatrical viewing. There may be a powerful journey in the source material but the movie is off and it only achieves greatness in short little bursts. This is a misstep by award winning Lee.

I did not watch this film with preconceptions, and I watched it on a perfectly normal television. So any particular technological advances meant very little me.

It's story was so-so. I never got bored, but then I wasn't expecting an action film. The acting fine. I don't really see how someone can give this a 1/10 or call it the worst this year, or even this month. There could have been more to it, but it almost felt like a biopic to me, and erring on the side of conservatism. The events were not huge, escalated, Brian Lynn did not kill Osama Bin Laden, there was no sex scene with a cheerleader...

The film appeared very 'dry' visually, the clarity I understand now in some part due to Lee's filming at a high frame rate, and resolution. Throughout I drew comparison's to the works of Brian De Palma. Characters would often stand front on to the camera, talking to the camera as if it were the subject in their conversation, and I wonder if this was chosen to foreground the detail, or the 3D in which it was presented in many cinemas, or make the whole thing more 'real' for us the viewers. It felt unreal to me, like those films where they film in a first person. 3D is still very much a gimmick, one that distracts from all but the spectacle in films, weakening dramas when shown in 3D, and everything when presented in 2D. If it's to really go beyond that it needs to be something you either show in 3D, or not at all.

Two Time Academy-Award Winner for Best Director, Ang Lee is back with 'Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk'. And heartbreakingly, this is the weakest film by the prolific director to date. Despite sincere efforts, this War-Drama is a misfire!

'Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk' Synopsis: 19-year-old Billy Lynn is brought home for a victory tour after a harrowing Iraq battle. Through flashbacks the film shows what really happened to his squad - contrasting the realities of war with America's perceptions.

The biggest problem with 'Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk' is its unappealing Writing. Jean-Christophe Castelli's Screenplay, which is based on the novel by the same name by Ben Fountain, trembles. Billy Lynn's struggle in the war zone & the after effects once he returns home, are barely engaging. The Writing doesn't hold you or move, unfortunately!

Ang Lee isn't in form this time around. His Direction leaves a lot to be desired. Cinematography & Editing are fine. Art & Costume Design are classy.

Performance-Wise: Joe Alwyn as Billy Lynn, is the sole saving grace. He delivers an excellent performance from start to end. He has the potential to go places, given the right scripts. Kristen Stewart as Billy's older sister, tries to make the most out of her limited role. Chris Tucker is okay, while Steve Martin is wasted. And Vin Diesel is as usual.

On the whole, 'Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk' is a poor show.

Ben Johnson's novel has been exceptionally well adapted for the screen by Jean- Christophe Castelli and directed with the expected sensitivity of Ang Lee. It is a kick in the gut for those who see it – an anti-war statement placed in front of us as the never- ending wars in the Middle East continue to fester and destroy lives on all sides of the war zone and beyond. But it is also a biting statement about the time in which we live, a time when entertainment and gross spending of money is directed toward the insatiable appetite for big shows and stars and shallow moments of pleasure that appear to obsess us. The manner in which returning soldiers face 'instant glory' is overshadowed by the inherent bully-ism by a public that does not understand the cancer of war and how it metastasizes throughout our troubled planet.

The film is told from the point of view of 19-year-old private Billy Lynn (Joe Alwyn) who, along with his fellow soldiers in Bravo Squad (Garrett Hedlund, Arturo Castro, Mason Lee, Astro, Beau Knapp, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Barney Harris and Vin Diesel) becomes a hero after a harrowing Iraq battle and is brought home temporarily for a victory tour. Through flashbacks, culminating at the spectacular halftime show of the Thanksgiving Day football game in Dallas, Texas, the film reveals what really happened to the squad - contrasting the realities of the war with America's perceptions. Billy's family's response to his Silver Star heroism is conflicted with Billy's damaged sister Kathryn (Kristen Stewart) who pleads with Billy not to return for another tour in Iraq. Billy finds a possible entry to fame through a film about Bravo by Albert (Chris Tucker), thwarted by the wealthy insensitive would-be backer Norm (Steve Martin), an introduction to love by one of the Dallas cheerleaders Faison (Makenzie Leigh), and in the end, though disenchanted with America's reaction to what soldiers suffer in war zones, Billy makes the 'long halftime walk' back to his beloved buddies of Bravo as they prepare to return to duty.

The film seems all glitter on the surface until the inserted flashbacks of the realities of war in Iraq – a factor that makes the film even more poignant as an anti-war statement. This is a strong film that will move sensitive viewers – hopefully to action.

Not the absolute worst Iraq movie that I've ever seen, but close to it. It in NO WAY reflects reality and is a dig at the war and soldiers in general. If you were "over there" you'd probably chuckle at the stupid characterizations that most civilians imagine a tour of Iraq was like. Some vets might get mad, but just remember that it's Hollywood. My only complaint is that they use soldiers to protest the war, when in fact- most of us are proud of our service there. I did three tours of combat duty in Iraq (Ramadi, TQ, and Q-West) and none of them are anywhere near this movie's portrayal. If you want to hear about the REAL war, ask a vet- some of us wouldn't mind answering questions.

'BILLY LYNN'S LONG HALFTIME WALK': Three Stars (Out of Five)

Director Ang Lee's new Iraqi war drama, based on the book (of the same name) by Ben Fountain. The movie was scripted by first time screenwriter Jean-Christophe Castelli, who also served as an associate producer on Lee's 2012 hit 'LIFE OF PIE'. It stars Joe Alwyn, Kristen Stewart, Garrett Hedlund, Chris Tucker, Vin Diesel, Makenzie Leigh and Steve Martin. The film tells the story of a 19- year-old Army specialist, and his unit, who become National celebrities after a heroic act is caught on camera. They do a publicity tour, which ends in a Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving halftime show. The movie was shot at a projection frame rate of 120 frames per second, in 3D at 4K HD resolution (which had never been done before). It's received mixed (to negative) reviews from critics, and it also bombed at the Box Office. For an Ang Lee movie, I found it to be severely disappointing (but not without it's moments).

Billy Lynn is a 19-year-old from Texas, who was forced to join the army after an act of violence defending his sister, Kathryn (Stewart). Kathryn feels guilty about this, and she desperately wants to get him honorably discharged from service (on grounds of PTSD). Billy is now a National hero, after he was caught on camera heroically trying to rescue his late Sergeant (Diesel). Now his entire squad is famous, and they're in talks for a movie deal, as well as doing a major publicity tour (which ends at the Dallas Cowboys halftime show).

The film has some good scenes in it; and some great insight into the Iraqi war, and the effects it had on the soldiers involved (as well as their loved ones at home). There's some controversial politics in it too, representing both sides of the issues. Stewart and Diesel also both give decent performances in the movie. With all that said, it's still poorly written at times (and shockingly poorly directed). I really didn't care for the experimental frame rate either, it's more distracting than anything else. At times the movie does feel kind of cheesy as well, because of these issues, but at other times it does also have some important things to say. It's not a bad film, but it's not a good one either; and it's especially disappointing coming from Ang Lee.

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