THE MONUMENTS MEN: Forced, forged and forgettable! Historic Disappointment!! [2.5/5]

In the midst of World War II, when Hitler- the Fuehrer was busy slaughtering humanity, demolishing civilization and bull-dozing every pillar of culture here and there, a group of art-readers, historians and curators decides to locate and save the sculptures, paintings and art-materials captured in the war. Now this is based on a real story and it does sound an all exhilarating experience to relive-revive and retold on screen in a greater manner but sadly, written & directed by George Clooney THE MONUMENTS MEN dies a death of a promising idea gone lost in between. Despite being crispier in duration of the film, it looks forced, forged and forgettable event, in cinema at least.

Lt. Stokes [played by Clooney himself] forms a squad of 7 art-lovers well-known for their experiences with art and certainly not with the war to search for stolen artworks in the war field. Like most in any mission, the troop includes a couple of grumpy, fighting for nothing old men [Bill Murray and Bob Balaban], one heavy, plumpy, stout man [John Goodman], one ever-smiling young man [Jean Dujardin] and a quite somber man with vision [Matt Damon]. The more disorganized team looks, the more thrilling experience it would promise to the viewers, that’s the unsaid rule of any mission oriented plot. THE MONUMENTS MEN had it in concept but soon they land on the ground level, Clooney fails to hold the plot together. The shattered screenplay couldn’t shift focus from talking endlessly about how important it is to save those artworks to the real action on real location.

With a list of clean performers on board, beautiful cinematography, grandeur look, high-end production value, Clooney sets the atmosphere for a perfect war crime thriller but writing doesn’t support well in creating any recognizable nail-biting moment for instance. Scenes swing from one to other not much in concern to make story forward but establishing the actors and giving them a sustainable job. Humor is tried but doesn’t meet its desired end at most. Matt Damon trying his hands on different languages and every time people advising him stick to English only is one joke that gets repeated at regular. Luckily, that doesn’t go with Bill Murray and Bob Balaban. They are the only of the lot who gets maximum number of impressive scenes and some real comic ones. Cate Blanchett looks her part.

Overall, where most Hollywood films have proved themselves in extracting the inhuman catastrophe of war and the heroic efforts to save mankind to its maximum and on a larger canvas, George Clooney’s THE MONUMENTS MEN fails to grip, grasp and grab preferred attention. It is a disappointment and an average heist movie with lesser number of hi-points. Avoid it even if you’re a hardcore fan of every actor in the brigade! [2.5/5]