Monuments Men, The (5/20/2014)

Rated PG-13 for some images of war violence and historical smoking.

Starring George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray and Cate Blanchett

Directed by George Clooney

Some people say history is dry and boring… The Monuments Men does not help dispel any of those rumors.

Based on the true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history, The Monuments Men is an action-thriller focusing on an unlikely World War II platoon, tasked by FDR with going into Germany to rescue artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves and returning them to their rightful owners. It would be an impossible mission: with the art trapped behind enemy lines, and with the German army under orders to destroy everything as the Third Reich fell, how could these guys – seven museum directors, curators, and art historians, all more familiar with Michelangelo than the M-1 – possibly hope to succeed? But as the Monuments Men, as they were called, found themselves in a race against time to avoid the destruction of 1000 years of culture, they would risk their lives to protect and defend mankind’s greatest achievements.

The Monuments Men is different from most World War 2 films. There are no epic battle scenes from the Normandy Beach or from The Battle of the Bulge and no rousing speeches from Roosevelt or Truman. In fact, we often see the Monuments Men in the aftermath of the war’s great moments.

There are several problems with The Monuments Men. The first is the way the director chose to tell the story. Instead of one narrative, there are several stories happening that feel more like episodes on a History Channel series than a feature film.

Secondly, there is the lack of character development. With so much going on and so much time and ground to cover, we never have a chance to really embrace any of the characters. That’s a bad sign when the main characters are George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray and Cate Blanchett. Most of them get one big moment but that’s about it.

Finally the movie runs just under two hours but feels way longer. It also feels like it needed at least another hour to reach critical mass. I bet there was a lot left on the cutting room floor.

With such a great story and talent like this in front of the camera, it’s a real shame this movie is only a score of “Only if Free.”

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
This film was officially rated PG-13 because of the images of war and historical smoking. The violence and profanity are fairly mild and there is no sex or nudity.

CONVERSATION STARTER:

1. What was the mission of the Monuments Men? (To protect what’s left and find what’s missing.)


2. What were some of the hardships they experienced to carry out this mission?


3. What was Christ’s mission? (To seek and save the lost.)


4. As followers of Christ, what is our mission?


5. What hardships have you experienced in carrying out this mission?


6. Read James 1:2-4
   
   Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

   And John 15:18-20

   If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

   
   What do these verses tell us about enduring hardships for the mission?


7. What can you do this week to seek and save the lost?