Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk

Thanksgiving is this Thursday. There's plenty of movies to see on the big and small screens. One new movie on the former is Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, a story about honoring our nation's veterans. Its intentions are noble but its pacing and, perhaps, its visuals, may turn some off.

Pvt. Billy Lynn (Joe Alwyn) of Bravo Squad was an ordinary soldier in 2004 Iraq. That all changed when he was filmed fighting off insurgents to defend his friend, Sgt. Shroom (Vin Diesel). Shroom doesn't make it, while Billy becomes a decorated war hero. Bravo Squad is sent back to the States for a victory tour. Their final destination is Dallas, where they'll be the guest stars for the Cowboys' Halftime Show on their Thanksgiving Day Game. The Cowboys' owner, Norm Oglesby (Steve Martin), wants to buy their movie rights. Albert (Chris Tucker) is the producer hoping to broker the deal.

Billy finds his new war hero status unnerving. All the ultra-patriotic people he meets don't know what he's been through. But he has to be cool in front of the cameras; after the show, Bravo Squad ships back to Iraq. His older sister, Kathryn (Kristin Stewart), begs him to stay. His sense of duty might be even louder...

Director Ang Lee's followup to Life of Pi, for which he won his second Oscar, adapts Ben Fountain's 2012 novel. The film's main story is Billy and Bravo Squad in Dallas for the Big Game. Billy's fateful battle and subsequent visit home are gradually told in flashbacks. These flashbacks unfold so gradually that the film feels longer than 110 minutes. There are some flashbacks that just cut off... It gets better once they're done. A fistfight between Bravo Squad and Stadium Security turns into a running gag when the latter group jumps them two more times. The ending felt rushed and questionable to me.

The most highly publicized technical aspect is John Toll's cinematography. The film is shot in 4K 3D at 120 fps, five times faster than normal. My untrained eye didn't notice anything special it brought to the dramatic scenes. I thought the Squad's feast at the Stadium was exquisite, though. Billy's PTSD flashbacks are where the film's visuals stood out. When Bravo Squad is brought for a press conference, there are imagine spots for Billy where everything around him goes black-and-white. That looked cool. Only a few theaters actually have "the whole shebang" (as Lee called it). The rest will have to wait for DVD and Blu-Ray.

The cast isn't outdone by the cameras. Joe Alwyn makes a great film debut as Billy Lynn. He's a nice guy in extraordinary circumstances; you'll feel for him when he suffers. The cast of Bravo Squad is made of likable characters with distinct personalities. Even Garrett Hedlund's Sgt. Dime, the rough guy, proves likable in the end. Kristin Stewart's Kathryn is a strong, sympathetic character. Makenzie Leigh is also memorable as Faizon, the cheerleader who takes a shine to Billy.

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk makes its audience think hard about war and sacrifice. It might inspire people to thank soldiers with more than words. It reminded me why soldiers need maximum mental health care. But was this the right movie to debut 120 fps movies? I don't know. Don't wait if you want to see it on the big screen. Its low box office last weekend could make it fall back faster than you think.