Walter's
War (2008/BBC DVD)
Picture:
B Sound: C Extras: D Telefilm: B-
After
surviving a battle in WWI, Walter Tull (O.T. Fagbenly) is the first
'colored' man that is considered for officer training for the British
Army, but unfortunately not, all officers feel that a 'Negro' is
worthy of leadership capability. There is little Walter can do circa
1916; he can dodge bullets, but he can't dodge racial slurs and
prejudice in Alrick Riley's TV movie Walter's War (2008).
Walter
is a soldier serving his country, but even thought he is a
'mixed-race' he is still seen as a lesser race among his peers, even
his superior officer said to his face it is in regulations that
soldier of African origin should not be considered for officer
training. Walter faces a different kind of war and must work 10
times harder as any white officer in order to even earn their
respect, but he must first overcome his own PTSD and let go of his
own hatred for the very people he protects and serves. And that
courage, valor and honor cannot be taught, but only proven in the
field.
Based
on a true story, it is a tale that is told too often, often those who
are fighting for freedom are also repressing and taking it away from
someone else. That all men aren't created equal, this is often true
of military men, that the battle for equality is a never ending one.
It takes a man of real courage to not strike back and rise above
those who considers them his superior.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is as good as it is going to
look in this format, while the lossy Dolby Digital sound is adequate
if not as strong as it ought to be in some sequences. Extras include
The Somme - From Defeat to Victory.
-
Ricky Chiang
