War, Inc. (R, 2008)
common sense media says
Capitalism takes a hit in dark, uneven war satire.
parents & educators say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that although this film is technically a comedy, it's a dark one, and there's plenty of violence -- including gory fights and assassinations and people (including unarmed civilians) dying in bloody gunfire. Swear words also fly like shrapnel. Former tween star Hilary Duff plays a singer who sells her sexed-up image to the masses, dressing, singing and behaving (in her own words) like a "whore." The film satirizes giant companies that, with Washington D.C. firmly in their pockets, launch and manage an Iraq-style war purely for profit, with a mindless media repeating their lies about "freedom" and making the world a safer place. Soldiers (who are for-hire militia members, rather than U.S. Army troops) are portrayed as violent and drugged-up.
Violence:
Lots of shooting, both in close-up execution-style assassinations and crowds being riddled with bullets on the battlefield. Sometimes bullets are even sprayed at civilians for "laughs." Many bomb/grenade/missile explosions. Hand-to-hand combat, martial-arts style fighting, and one character killed with a spike through the head (after his finger is bitten off). A quadriplegic is tortured with hot sauce in the eyes. A threatened decapitation.
Sex:
No nudity, but much talk, mostly about the character of a young pop princess with Britney Spears attributes. She calls herself a "whore," dresses in revealing outfits, puts a live scorpion in her panties (writhing lasciviously as a boyfriend obligingly tries to remove it), and tries to seduce the much-older main character. There's talk of her making a possible sex video.
Language:
Many uses of "f--k," "s--t," "bitch," and the like.
Consumerism:
As part of their attempts to satirize the market economy, the filmmakers wallpaper scenes with billboards, URLs, and corporate logos and pay lip service to well-known fast-food chains and products. Of course, these in-your-face ads are meant to be distasteful rather than effective.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
Plenty of smoking, social drinking, and drunkenness. Hints that the Tamerlane soldiers are kept wired and violent through drugs.
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Most useful reviews by all members
caffinegirl85
educator
educator
cool movie
wow Hilary Duff she was amazing in this movie as a pretty brunte now this is a different side of Ms. Duff i like it!
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