SOLDIER

SOLDIER has a worthwhile idea beneath its gunfire. A soldier brutalized by a lifetime of killing begins to discover life beyond the battlefield when he befriends a married couple and their son. The film also clearly suggests that people can be trained to kill by exposing children to violence.

But the movie does little with that idea dramatically. It copies the basic storyline of SHANE while replacing much of that western’s tension with lengthy, repetitious battle scenes. Kurt Russell’s mostly silent performance sometimes communicates through his eyes, but his character often seems to have few emotions, making him less sympathetic.

The R-rated content is severe enough that discerning adults should watch at home, not with children or young teens. WAIT FOR HOME — ADULTS ONLY is the practical answer.

In a distant galactic future, a “retired” soldier played by Kurt Russell is drawn into the lives of a community of farmers. When genetically bred soldiers threaten that community, the battle-hardened veteran must decide what remains of his humanity beyond the battlefield.

Two stars means SOLDIER has a promising premise but does not sustain its drama. The film’s training sequences communicate a clear idea about how children can be conditioned toward violence, and Russell’s restrained performance is effective at times, especially when he expresses emotion through his eyes.

The larger problem is repetition. The movie substitutes lengthy battle scenes for dramatic conflict and tension, while Russell’s character often displays few emotions. As a result, the film struggles to make its central figure a consistently sympathetic hero.

SOLDIER presents people as capable of being shaped by what they are taught and shown. Its training sequences suggest that children can be trained to kill by watching violence, while the story’s central movement points toward recovering humanity through relationships and life beyond war.

The film’s military world includes fascist authority figures and an evil commander who orders soldiers to kill civilians and conceal the deaths. Against that, the soldier’s defense of civilians suggests that human life matters and that obedience to evil orders is not morally acceptable. Still, the film’s worldview is light, and its violent setting gives those ideas a harsh and troubling frame.

The film’s central question is whether a person trained for killing can recover his humanity. Scripture teaches that human beings bear God’s image: “So God created man in his own image” (Genesis 1:27).

SOLDIER has a meaningful idea about conditioning, violence, and recovering humanity, but repetitive battles and limited character drama weaken it. Its strong content makes it unsuitable for children and young teens. For discerning adults who want to see it, WAIT FOR HOME — ADULTS ONLY. For gentler family viewing, try.