Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Jumbled action movie has gun violence, strong language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Tin Soldier
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In TIN SOLDIER, Nash Cavanaugh (Scott Eastwood) is a former soldier who's suffering from PSTD, as well as mourning his late wife, Evoli (Nora Arnezeder), who died in a car crash while he was driving. He was sent to—and managed to escape from—The Program, which was initially established as a treatment center for former soldiers with PTSD but was turned into a cult led by the charismatic Bokushi (Jamie Foxx). Now Nash is approached by Ashburn (Robert De Niro), who wants him to join an elite team of people tasked with infiltrating the Bokushi's stronghold and eliminate him. Nash's knowledge of the facility will be an asset—and, even more importantly, there's a chance that Evoli is still alive and being held in the compound. Unfortunately, going back triggers Nash's trauma in a big way.
Is It Any Good?
This jumbled, nonsensical action movie feels like it went through a shredder and was then reassembled with tape and glue, with some pieces left behind; the result is nearly unwatchable. It seems likely that someone thought they could save Tin Soldier by having Eastwood supply narration throughout the film to fill in some of the blanks, but it's an awful, intrusive touch. Flashbacks to Nash and Evoli's romance are just as awkward, as are the generic scenes in which John Leguizamo and other members of Ashburn's elite team rudely show their distrust of the former cult member.
Perhaps even worse is Foxx's cartoonish portrayal of the cult leader, which feels more like something out of a bad superhero movie than anything bordering on real. (It also gives Foxx the chance to act ... a lot.) And De Niro doesn't even seem to know why he's here (frankly, neither do we). And then there's the fact that the sound mix is awful, with sirens, alarms, and explosions drowning out the dialogue, and many of the fight scenes are too dark to see. It's possible that "bad movie" fans might have fun picking out the film's many strangely terrible ideas—such as the villain assembling a group of Taiko drummers and huge flame-shooters for his secret stronghold so that fights in the "arena" will be more dramatic—but, then again, they might not.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Tin Soldier's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
How does the movie depict drinking, smoking, and drug use/abuse? Are they glamorized? Are there realistic consequences? Why does that matter?
What is PTSD, and how does the movie depict it? How can it be treated?
The movie is partly about the "cult mentality." What makes people vulnerable to that? Does the movie offer a thoughtful look at the phenomenon? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- In theaters : September 12, 2025
- On DVD or streaming : October 30, 2025
- Cast : Scott Eastwood , Jamie Foxx , Robert De Niro , John Leguizamo
- Director : Brad Furman
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Samuel Goldwyn Films
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 86 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 21, 2025
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