War Horse – 2

This is the worst movie I’ve ever seen – at least for this year. Attempting an homage to “sincere” movies of the ’40s and ’50s, Steven Spielberg came up with an epic that was not merely corny, but phony. Every scene was absurd, every character a cliche: the dastardly landlord, the dissolute father, the long-suffering mother, the courageous youth, etc., etc. Nor was the story interesting or enlightening: a horse survived four years of brutal treatment by the Huns in great shape. It didn’t save anyone’s life, it wasn’t a beacon of hope that kept the soldiers fighting on. It – unlike most of the soldiers, who were largely glossed over – survived. Every scene, cued by John Williams’ trite orchestration, blatantly aimed for the heartstrings. And missed. Disney would’ve done it better.