Watch Buffalo Soldiers For Free

Best movie ever!

Admirable film.

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

It's 1989 Stuttgart, W Germany. Specialist Ray Elwood (Joaquin Phoenix) is a schemer in the 317th Supply Battalion on Theodore Roosevelt US Army Base. As many soldiers at the time, he was given a choice between jail and the Army. He sells Army supplies to the black market. He cooks heroine as a middle man. His commander Colonel Berman (Ed Harris) is clueless. He sleeps with Berman's wife (Elizabeth McGovern). When drugged up tankers destroy a gas station killing two truck drivers, Elwood takes advantage by stealing the weapons in the trucks. Then a new Top Sergeant Lee (Scott Glenn) arrives and he zeros in on Elwood. Elwood tries to get back at him by dating his daughter Robyn Lee (Anna Paquin).This is an outlandish black comedy. For the first half, I was rooting against Elwood. It could be more fun if Elwood is a funnier character. Joaquin has a dead-pan delivery. This movie could be funnier. However, it's a good satirical poke at the military. Despite a couple of questionable moments with Robyn, the supporting actors are all great. I like the spiraling chaos around Elwood and what happens to him in the crazy ending.

American directors tend to glorify their war movies by adding a lot of heroism and false American nationalism. Buffalo Soldiers is a nice change on these kind of movies. It tells the story of a group of American soldiers so thoroughly bored that they kill time by smuggling drugs, drinking booze and fighting each other. It kinda reminds me of my father's stories of his short yet turbulent time in the army. He keeps on telling about all the wrong things they did to have a bit of fun in their forced presence in these days. The movie doesn't really have a grand message to deliver to its audience, but it is most definitely good for a few laughs. And Joaquin Phoenix shows a bit of the strong charisma he has in store for us in later movies ( Walk the line- the Johnny Cash biography- as his strongest one )

There's something wrong when the villains are more likable than the ones who are supposed to be the good guys.Makes me wonder what kind of message these type of films are sending.The only likable good guy was dorky Knoll, Elwood's roomie, and even THAT was questionable.The story mainly revolves around the very handsome Joaquin Phoenix's character, Ray Elwood, who is a real rascal.It seems some criminals were given the choice of doing time in prison or doing time in the army. Those that chose the army have now been stationed in Berlin, where to no big surprise they're doing - guess what - criminal activity.Elwood, a previous car thief, has a pretty sweet little set-up. His officer, played by Ed Harris, is so dumb he hasn't a clue what's going on. Elwood is in supply so he's able to order extra things and then sell them on the black market.As a result Elwood's driving a black Mercedes, and has his room fixed up like a hotel suite.Then comes the fly in the ointment - he gets a new top - Sgt. Lee - tough as nails and mean as a snake.Tensions build when Elwood decides to date Sgt. Lee's daughter and ends up liking her for herself and vice versa.It's "war" between Sgt. Lee and Elwood, along with some other adversaries Elwood's got on his hands - when he decides to go for a bigger black market deal then he's ever done before.7 stars out of 10.

Buffaloe Soldiers clearly depicts some of the activities that had actually been going on at the posts and bases of the US military stationed here in Germany after the Cold War had ended and the soldiers suddenly found themselves having been "robbed" of their enemy. Therefore, the film does give an insight into what was actually going on during that time.Although funny most of the time, the violence shown towards the end was slightly exaggerated. Joachín Phoenix - as usual - portrays the character in his unique way and so gave the story a little "glammour". Overall,Buffaloe Soldiers is an entertaining and truly different film about the military.