Peirce does manage some moments of excellence with Stop-Loss, leading to an above average film, but isn't able to sustain them throughout the movie. In particular, the opening battle scenes in Tikrit were as tense and in-the-moment as any battle scenes I've seen in awhile, mixing in handheld footage to put the audience in the action with some static shots to keep us from losing our bearings.
The cast are all solid in their roles, bringing the film to the level of the soldier, instead of focusing on the politics of the issue. Too many movies focus so heavily on those responsible for the war on terror that they take away the agency of the troops on the ground, leaving them open to attacks from those who silence any debate on the war by claiming that those opposed to it don't support the troops.
The mentality of those who begin and end their support for the troops with a bumper sticker is what allows the focus of this movie to go on mostly ignored and unchecked. Stop-Loss refers to the practice of involuntarily extending the service of soldiers who have finished their tours, a practice that has been roundly criticized for its frequent usage in the ongoing conflict in Iraq (over 80,000 soldiers have been stop-lossed since the start of the war). Instituting a back door draft for those who have already served their country doesn't strike me as particularly genuine way of supporting the troops, but what do I know? I'm Canadian.
In the film, Sgt Brandon King (Ryan Phillippe) is stop-lossed after coming home from Iraq. Tired of the war and not wanting to go back after such a costly battle in Tikrit, he tries to fight the order by going AWOL. The movie follows his pursuit to find a way out while illustrating the difficulties faced by soldiers when they get home and try to reconcile themselves with their actions.
It's an issue worth examination, and the movie does an excellent job of bringing the plight of the soldiers to life. However, Peirce's desire to get the story out there while the issue is fresh, rather than waiting until more perspective can be achieved, results in a film that feels shallow and unbalanced. The first half of the movie features intense battle scenes and intimate portrayals of small town Texas life for returning soldiers, each quite effectively. The movie then morphs into a road movie after King goes AWOL with his best friend's fiancée Michelle (Abbie Cornish) along for the ride as support. The two experience different misadventures as King tries to find a way out of his predicament, including a very stirring visit with a disfigured soldier from King's unit played by Victor Rasuk.
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