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 Navy
SEAL Lieutenant AK Waters (Bruce Willis, photo on right) and his
elite squadron of tactical specialists are forced to choose between
their duty and their humanity, between following orders by ignoring
the conflict that surrounds them, or finding the courage to follow
their conscience and protect a group of innocent refugees.
 When
the democratic government of Nigeria collapses and the country is
taken over by a ruthless military dictator, Waters, a fiercely loyal
and hardened veteran is dispatched on a routine mission to retrieve
a Doctors Without Borders physician, Dr. Lena Kendricks (Monica
Bellucci), two catholic nuns (left: photo of nun) and a priest.
 Dr.
Kendricks (photo on right), an American citizen by marriage, is
tending to the victims of the ongoing civil war at a Catholic mission
in a remote village. When Waters arrives, however, Dr. Kendricks
refuses to leave unless he promises to help deliver the villagers
to political asylum at the nearby border. If they are left behind,
they will be at the mercy of the enormous rebel army. To further
complicate things the priest and the nuns refuse to leave the hospital.
They want to continue giving comfort and medical treatment to patients
in their hospital.
 Waters
is under strict orders from his commanding officer Captain Bill
Rhodes (Tom Skerritt, photo on left) to remain disengaged from the
conflict. But as he and his men witness the brutality of the rebels
first-hand,  they
are won over to Dr. Kendricks’ cause and place their lives
at risk by agreeing to escort the villagers on a perilous trek through
the dense jungle. And hence, you have a story akin to Moses leading
his people out of Egypt with the Pharaoh in hot pursuit.
 As
they move through the countryside on foot, Waters’ team, experts
at evasion and concealment, are inexplicably and ferociously pursued
by an army of rebels.  They
are confounded until they discover that, among the refugees, is
the sole survivor of the country’s previous ruling family,
whom the rebels have been ordered to eliminate at all costs. Waters
and his small band of soldiers must weigh the life of one man against
their own and the refugees they feel obliged to protect.
 The
major themes in this film are trust, selfishness, sacrifice, compassion,
and freedom. The Christian Missionaries are presented as true Samaritans.
Other issues that surface in this film are deception and betrayal.
This is an excellent film for group discussion, especially as the
world faces military conflicts.
The
film begins with the suggestion that God has left Africa. The Missionaries
are killed, innocent women and children suffer, people are tortured
and brutally murdered --so where is God? At the end of the film
it becomes apparent that God was at work through those who cared
enough to risk their lives for the sake of others, just as the story
of Moses teaches us. When people suffer God cries. Perhaps this
film could be named Tears of the Son.
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REVIEW
