Despite stellar cast “Monuments Men” disappoints
As the movie nears its end audiences still remain confused as to whether the men are trying to save the entirety of art in Europe or just one statue.
Despite the superstar cast this film possess, “The Monuments Men” falls flat with an anticlimactic storyline. With so much potential surrounding this film, it’s hard to believe this movie would be anything but great, but besides stellar performances, this film remains to be about as boring as a movie about art hunters sounds to be.
It’s the end of World War II, and a group of art historians, curators, and museum directors are tasked with mission of entering Nazi occupied Germany in order to save thousands of pieces of art before the Nazi’s can destroy them. After being denied help from most soldiers in their attempts to save art, this crew takes it upon themselves to protect the culture of Europe. This group of older men, who’ve never experienced war, must decide if risking their lives is worth saving art for future generations.
The true goal of the plot is somewhat general, making the film seem disjointed and unorganized at times. As the movie nears its end audiences still remain confused as to whether the men are trying to save the entirety of art in Europe or just one statue. Not to mention, when the so-called climax of the film makes itself clear, it lacks the excitement and intensity it should contain.
With a talented cast, including George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, and Cate Blanchett, movie lovers would hope to become attached to the characters, despite the uneventful plot. Unfortunately, despite the talent this cast contains, the characters seem to lack personality. The exception to this is the character of Private Preston Savitz, played by Bob Balaban, who brings a hilarious and heartwarming performance to the table. It’s not necessarily the actors who play the roles, but the writing and plot of the script that makes the characters of “Monuments Men” somewhat boring.
With a plot that remains uninspiring despite the good message behind it, “The Monuments Men” fails to excite audiences despite the talented cast. Containing a disconnected plot filled with a disappointing amount of action, this film lacks enthusiasm. It’s not that “The Monuments Men” is completely horrible, but that the potential built up to it failed to meet most audiences standards.