Varun Patel
War movies have occupied a sizable place in American cinema from time immemorial. They are synonymous with American foreign policy as movies about warfare generally reflect the last major conflict that the USA has been involved in and acutely mirror the dominant public perspective. For instance, the Red Scare during the Cold War led to several movies that depicted the anti-communist fervor which gripped the nation post the Second World War.
Similarly, the Vietnam War has also been a common theme in war films after the United States involved itself militarily in the Asian nation. However, the popularity of that historic event has died down due to its decreasing relevance on American politics and public discourse.
Although, ‘The Last Full Measure’ is an upcoming movie that charts this familiar territory once again. Rather than being about the war, it chronicles the posthumous grant of American military’s highest honor on a heroic airman. It is not really about patriotism. Rather, the movie is about justice.
The Last Full Measure Plot: What is it About?
‘The Last Full Measure’ is based on the true story of the real-life war hero, William H. Pitsenbarger, a medic who has been credited with saving the lives of over sixty soldiers during the Vietnam War. During one of the costliest battles (in terms of bloodshed) of the war, Pitsenbarger decided to deny being rescued in order to stay back and save the lives of his comrades, ultimately having to sacrifice his life heroically.
Over three decades after the event, Pitsenbarger’s friend and para-rescue partner along with his family make a Congressional request to award the war hero a medal of honor posthumously. Scott Huffman, working for the Pentagon is assigned the duty of investigating the request and seeking the testimony of veterans who were involved. However, during his investigation, he uncovers a shocking conspiracy which was the reason that Pitsenbarger was not awarded the medal of honor. Huffman is forced to risk his career to bring justice to the war hero.
The Last Full Measure Cast: Who is in it?
The upcoming war movie boasts of an exceptional ensemble cast and that will certainly be one of the highlights of the film. Sebastian Stan plays the leading role of Scott Huffman- the man who is tasked with investigating the award request. Huffman is a Pentagon staffer who is in the peak of his career and has to decide between risking his professional life for justice or turning a blind eye. Stan is known for portraying Captain America’s sidekick, Bucky in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Moreover, he has appeared in ‘Gossip Girl,’ ‘Once Upon a Time’ and movies like ‘The Martian.’
The character of the war hero, William “Pitts” Pitsenbarger is essayed by Jeremy Irvine. While the movie centers around his valor and how his courageous deeds should be recognized, the role of Irvine is relatively small and limited to flashbacks of his brave war act.
Christopher Plummer plays Pitts’ father, Frank Pitsenbarger. A prolific actor, Plummer has enjoyed a successful career spanning over 60 years and has appeared in notable films like ‘The Sound of Music,’ ‘The Man Who Would be King’ and ‘The Last Station.’
William Hurt plays a character named Tully while Samuel L. Jackson plays one named Takoda. The latter actor needs no introduction and is widely recognized for his appearance in Tarantino’s ‘Pulp Fiction’ apart from other, successful movies like ‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘True Romance.’ Ser’Darius Blain from ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle’ plays a younger version of Jackson’s character while Zach Roerig will be seen as the younger version of William Hurt’s character.
That’s not all the star power! Peter Fonda can be seen in the movie too, playing Jim Burr. Fonda is an American actor who has been acting since 1962 and is another Hollywood icon from his family of film stars which includes his father, Henry Fonda and sister, Jane Fonda. Moreover, Ed Harris is also a part of the movie’s cast and plays Ray Mott. Harris is seen playing the man in black in ‘Westworld.’
The Last Full Measure Crew: Who is Behind it?
‘The Last Full Measure’ is directed and written by Todd Robinson. Robinson is a filmmaker whose first movie, ‘Angel Fire’ came out in 1992. Other than that , he has helmed movies like ‘White Squall’ and ‘Lonely Hearts.’ Furthermore, Byron Werner is responsible for the movie’ cinematography and it is edited by Claudia Castello, Terel Gibson and Richard Nord.
The Last Full Measure Release Date: When Will it Premiere?
‘The Last Full Measure’ is going to be released next year on January 17, 2020. It finished filming in September last year and the makers had initially planned an early 2019 release. The movie had a special pre-release screening for war veterans at Westhampton Beach.
The Last Full Measure Trailer:
The trailer below portrays several scenes from the battlefield and Washington D.C. hinting at a non-linear narrative. What is interesting is that a large part of the trailer sees characters discussing the idea of justice and does not focus on epic battle scenes like most war movie trailers do.
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