Popular reviews

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  Review by Sally Jane Black 1

  Frustratingly bad accents, anti-communist propaganda, and trite lessons on violence, all wrapped up in some nice scenery and heartwarming anti-racism (that is a bit too white saviory at times). Some of the locations are kinda awesome, and the feeling of the freedom of summer is there in the warm golden light, but it's still just mawkish, overlong, and mediocre.

  Kathleen's VHS Collection 2017: 73/100

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  Review by Crawlspace Dweller Matt [♥] ★★★★

  "In the abscence of love there is nothing in this world worth fighting for."

  I don't know how this film got into our family library of vhs when I was a kid but I remember having watched this quite a lot. Back then I was mostly in it for the adventure of the kids building that giant treehouse and having their rivalry with the Lipnickys, the kids from the local white trash scrapyard owner.
  All of that is still fun and engaging to me. But the movie developed a whole new layer that hits me now that I've grown older. All the family drama around the dad trying his best to care for everyone with the little he got hits…

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  Review by Connor Carey ★★

  It's not without its moments and Elijah Wood is great here but "The War" is honestly a great big mess. The tone is all over the place, the story isn't very interesting and it's just really dull. There's a reason you've probably never heard of this. Maybe not one of Kevin Costner's worst but definitely one of his blandest.

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  Review by maneleeo ★★½

  A Kevin Costner tearjerker that actually did get to me at times. When using kids, you know most of the time what 90% of filmmakers are trying to do, they're trying to get to your emotional side without presenting real emotion. But in "The War" the filmmaker uses kids to go absolutely bananas, I mean, the kids literally fight each other with weapons they made. It's like the film did a 180º and suddenly didn't want to be a drama about solidarity and they were trying to capitalize on the whole PTSD thing through recreating war with kids. I don't know, this review doesn't make any sense.

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  Review by Michael Michael ★★★½ 1

  I watched this 100s of times when i was a kid. Kevin Costner cries and gets snot all over Elijah Wood's head.

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  Review by Shaun ★★

  Kevin Costner, Elijah Wood, and Mare Winningham star in The War, a film about a group of children living in 60’s America that build a treehouse, get into scraps with a rival gang, and have a father that has PTSD.

  Jon Avent doesn’t have the best resumé. Films such as 88 minutes and Rightous Kill are painfully seared onto my memory. Whilst The War is easily the best film I’ve seen by Avnet, it’s still not great. What mostly lets it down is a script that is abundant with cliches and a ridiculous ending.  

  However, it does have some strengths. There’s a great performance by Elijah Wood that took me by surprise. He’s completely convincing as a poor, southern…

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  Review by Alice Romano ★★★ 2

  Classic '90s over sentimental tearjerker. Elijah Wood with a southern accent just feels wrong.

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  Review by jordanfalk ★★★½

  Yeah, it's cheesy and preachy, but damn was I worried about lil Elijah Wood when he was drowning in the water tower.
  A fine addition to the 'Elijah Wood has a treehouse/fort' cinematic universe.

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  Review by AmandaJohns ★★★★★

  One of my favorite movies.
  If you don't cry you are a robot

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  Review by Austin Kimball ★★★½ 1

  A bit overly sentimental, It has good music and Elijah wood gives a great performance.  

  It’s the kind of movie that has Vietnam flashbacks that begin with the sound Of helicopters.

  I do like that it is a class struggle movie that is the struggle movie between the have nots and the really have nots.  There are also so many buck toothed goobers in this.

  I’m surprised this movie has so few Letterboxd reviews because I used to watch this all the time and figured it was kind of a early 90’s classic.

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  Review by Kelli Madden ★★★½

  Scavenger Hunt #103 - Prompt #4: Watch a movie filmed in your hometown.

  Ok, so I totally get that this movie is super cheesy. It's also sweet and familiar. The nostalgia factor is strong with this film. It makes me think about summers growing up. I'm surprised we didn't kill ourselves. We rode around in rusty wheelbarrows, played in mud and dirty creek water, climbed and jumped from crazy heights, and brought home any critters we could find. We had a few less fires and explosions than in this film, but the danger was real. I understand why some people will hate this movie. I'm fond of it though, and I think it's worth a watch.

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  Review by Wallywood ★★★★

  An old favourite to fall back on from the 90s. I miss charming little gems like these being made. Elijah Wood is super adorable! The story is simple, but still fun.