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(1 - 35) of 35 OFCS Rating: 66% Fresh Page   1   3/5 "Wearing its holier than thou attitude on its blood-soaked sleeves, In the Valley of Elah is the most underhanded, backdoor anti-war film ever attempted."   PopMatters   Bill Gibron "In the Valley of Elah David slew Goliath and Canadian director Paul Haggis tries to slay the US myth on the Good War in Iraq, though David was certainly more successful than Paul."   european-films.net   Boyd van Hoeij B "It's a difficult picture dealing directly with misery and misfortune, but it has much to say about affairs of the family and the state of the union, presented in an unsettlingly peaceful manner few in the genre would dare emulate."   eFilmCritic.com   Brian Orndorf 4/5 "achingly sad"   Filmcritic.com   Chris Barsanti A+ "It is so patriotic as to be a radical example of dramaturgy. On top of that, it is executed to perfection."   ColeSmithey.com   Cole Smithey A "... essential viewing."   Ozus' World Movie Reviews   Dennis Schwartz 3/4 "A penetrating, lacerating, angry-as-hell condemnation against the incalculably devastating cost of war as it pertains to both those fighting in it and those consequently affected by it back home."   TheMovieBoy.com   Dustin Putman 1/4 "A namby-pamby tirade against the war in Iraq, In the Valley of Elah is a Canadian's Sydney Pollack-inspired drag revue."   Slant Magazine   Ed Gonzalez A- "Where 'Crash' was full of contrivances and coincidences, Elah is honest, raw, and real."   EricDSnider.com   Eric D. Snider 3.5/4 "Will hopefully be appreciated years from now when the Iraq war is looked upon by many as a war that revealed to its citizens what America has truly become..."   Cinema Crazed   Felix Vasquez Jr. C "Like Missing, a critique of U.S. government policy disguised as a mystery about a father searching for the truth about his son. And a rather heavy-handed one at that."   One Guy's Opinion   Frank Swietek 5/5 "After watching this riveting film, you will have more compassion than ever for the soldiers who have served and are serving in Iraq at great danger to their bodies, minds, and souls. One of the best films of 2007."   Spirituality and Practice   Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat 2.5/4 "The last scene of In the Valley of Elah may be the most ridiculously ham-fisted and over-the-top moment in all of 2007’s supposed prestige cinema."   ReelViews   James Berardinelli 2.5/5 "It's harder to tell if In the Valley of Elah is critical of the war in Iraq or what America itself has become."   Q Network Film Desk   James Kendrick 2/4 "In the Valley of Elah doesn't actually say "Bring the boys home"; it mostly tells us how much Paul Haggis would like to take home another Oscar."   Cinematical   James Rocchi 7/10 "[Jones] makes the father's pride, determination, stubbornness, patriotism, and love extremely, utterly believable, sympathetic, and involving."   Window to the Movies   Jeffrey Chen 3.5/4 "A fierce performance by Tommy Lee Jones as a father searching for his son, AWOL after returning from Iraq, anchors this flawed but important film from flawed but important writer-director Paul Haggis."   Big Picture Big Sound   Joe Lozito 7/10 "...a good mystery, with some thought-provoking observations on the effects of war on the hearts and minds of its participants."   DVDTown.com   John J. Puccio "A "very special" episode of CSI: Red State."   Planet Sick-Boy   Jon Popick B- "Fine performances from Tommy Lee Jones and Theron and the investigation itself maintain interest, but Haggis's film disintegrates just when it should be delivering its final punch."   Reeling Reviews   Laura Clifford 3/4 "Though the portentous title is taken from the Old Testament, the film's concerns are painfully timely and forcefully articulated."   TV Guide's Movie Guide   Maitland McDonagh 2.5/5 "Neither affecting nor cerebral; it's a case of going through the motions."   UR Chicago Magazine   Mark Dujsik 3/4 "A well-made issue movie; but a little too dense and structured"   Movie Habit   Marty Mapes 2/4 "Excellent turns cannot make this plodding package any more of a bludgeoning chore to sit through."   Mr. Brown's Movies   Michael Dequina 4/4 "After the potent final image of In the Valley of Elah faded to black, I had that very special tingle I get when I know I've just seen a great movie."   Aisle Seat   Mike McGranaghan C- "Tackles its Iraq War subject matter with such sledgehammer clumsiness that it risks giving viewers blunt head trauma."   Lessons of Darkness   Nick Schager 4/5 "Uma obra que se propõe a discutir vários temas relevantes, fazendo-o com certa eficácia."   Cinema em Cena   Pablo Villaca 2/5 "With "In The Valley Of Elah," his follow-up to the absurdly overpraised "Crash," writer-director Paul Haggis solidifies his position as this generation's Stanley Kramer."   eFilmCritic.com   Peter Sobczynski 4/5 "Haggis draws sensitive performances from his cast while asking provocative, important questions."   Shadows on the Wall   Rich Cline C- "Haggis' canvas leaves nary an impression on the heart or mind."   Projection Booth   Rob Humanick B "This is a story that most people don't want to see, but it needed to be done."   Laramie Movie Scope   Robert Roten B "... it doesn't hurt to have Tommy Lee Jones driving the film with a beautifully realized performance."   Seattle Post-Intelligencer   Sean Axmaker "It feels like a movie in search of prestige, not truth."   Salon.com   Stephanie Zacharek 9/10 "Academy Award season is offically underway with the release of Paul Haggis' hard-hitting drama, exploring the emotional wreckage of the war in Iraq."   www.susangranger.com   Susan Granger 7/10 "Mostly effective, if not altogether imaginative."   Antagony & Ecstasy   Tim Brayton  (1 - 35) of 35 OFCS Rating: 66% Fresh Page   1