Southern Comfort (Movie Review Sample)

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Southern Comfort
Introduction
Southern Comfort can be described as a thrilling movie that is without no doubt menacing. It leaves the viewer uncomfortably tense from the start to the finish with its storyline flowing. The movie is eye catching in the sense that the underlying story stays with you for a long time because it is intriguing. Set in Bayous, Louisiana in the year 1973, the story begins with a National Guards squad who come across the anger of the locals (Cajun people) while training. This resulted in fighting for survival in the forest and swamps becoming a huge threat to the National Guards. The plot of the film bears a close resemblance with the Vietnam war where troops of soldiers were sent to unknown territories and since they are not well prepared, they eventually get hunted by locals because of the home ground advantage. I believe the theme behind the movie is that of survival in remote areas where the locals turn against a group of people. The film starts with the troops navigating through the thick bayou trees creating a unique atmosphere.
Bayou, Louisiana is a swampy-forested place full of natural sounds like birds squawking, creating a tension maintained in the entire film. The natural sound could be heard even during violent scenes creating an atmosphere that implies that even Bayou itself is a living thing. This is supported by the drowning of one of the National Guard in the quicksand. The weather in the film is not so favorable, there being a time when fog emerged during a fierce fight the only sound being used was the baleful sound of the wind blowing. The local Cajun culture represents a culture shock by the National Guard who have never come across such people. The contact with the local culture leads to the death of the captain leaving the squad to be headed by another who was weak and was not respected. The film portrayed a theme of lack of authority as the new leader of the troop fails to control the team degenerating into many reckless and irresponsible behaviors. Two members of the squad come out as voices of reason getting sympathy only that they have to defy laws to survive.
I believe laws are the ultimate rules and regulations that must be followed however; laws do not apply in the Bayou. There is complete freedom in the forest this implying that the fact that the troop is from the National Guard means nothing. One of the members of the troop argues that they are well trained in the military. His comment was mocked considering how disorderly they had become with all the fights within them and the lack of respe...