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Saints and Soldiers: The Void
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Wikipedia article
'Saints and Soldiers: The Void' is a 2014 war drama film directed and written by Ryan Little, and is the third installment in the Saints and Soldiers franchise, following 'Saints and Soldiers' and 'Saints and Soldiers: Airborne Creed'. The film stars K. Danor Gerald, Adam Gregory, and Matt Meese. The most expensive of the 'Saints and Soldiers' films due to its use of tanks, it was filmed in Alpine, Utah. The film received mixed reviews with some critics calling it a "riveting drama" and some critics stating that more focus on writing and execution would have improved the film. In some countries the film is called 'Saints and Soldiers: Battle of the Tanks'.
Plot
In May 1945, remnants of the German Army continue to fight on in the Harz mountains, nicknamed "The Void" by American troops. An American M18 Hellcat tank destroyer, "The Avenging Angel", fires on a German prison and liberates the Allied prisoners held there, including Lieutenant Goss (Ben Urie). The next day the prisoners are to be transported to the rear by Sergeant Jesse Owens (K. Danor Gerald) and Private Perry (Alex Boye). Owens is not respected by some of the white soldiers because he is an African-American.
Captain Briton McConkie orders Sergeant John Atwood, commander of the Angel, and Max Whitaker, to take their respective tanks to clear the roads of any Germans to protect Owens' and Perry's convoy. The two tanks travel along the roads, with some tension arising between Private Daniel Barlow (Matt Meese) and Rodney Mitchell. Corporal Carey Simms (Adam Gregory) stops the arguments. The convoy comes across a fake body in the road, and then a hidden German Panzer III tank fires, destroying Perry's truck, killing everyone inside. The Germans open fire at Owens's truck, and he and Goss manage to escape. Further tank vs. tank encounters ensue, ending when Owens destroys a German tank with a panzerfaust. Barlow and Mitchell reconcile from their previous arguments, and Simms and Owens befriend one another over the course of the conflict.
Cast
* K. Danor Gerald as Technical Sergeant Jesse Owens
* Adam Gregory as Corporal Carey Simms
* Matt Meese as Private Daniel Barlow
* Timothy S. Shoemaker as Sergeant John Atwood
* Michael Todd Behrens as Rodney 'Ramrod' Mitchell
* Ben Urie as Lieutenant Goss
* Christoph Malzl as Stalag Commander
* David Morgan as Lt. Klaus Shonbeck
* Nate Harward as P.O.W Camp Soldier
* Brenden Whitney as Pvt. Nelson
* Jeff Birk as Capt. F. Briton McConkie
* Joel Bishop as Sgt. Max Whitaker
* Alex Boye as Pvt. Perry
* Allan Groves as Sgt. Kesler
* Logan Rogan as Prisoner #1
* Blake Webb as Prisoner #2
* Jeff Johnson as Crossroads MP
* Philip Malzl as Frederick Kardoff
* Becca Ingram as Gerta Kardoff
* Aunna Abel as Aunna Kardoff
* Lance Jensen as Corporal Jensen
* Randy Beard as German Tank Commander
* Andrew W. Johnson as Private Wolsey
* Richie T. Steadman as Sergeant Steadman
* Scott Swofford as General Terry Allen
* Terence Johnson as Corporal Harrison
* Lonzo Liggins as Pvt. Cooper
* Carlton Bluford as Pvt. Smitty
* Stacey Harkey as Pvt. Gaines
* Bart Johnson as Capt. Derrick Davis
* Cardiff Gerhardt as Young Soldier #1
* Taylor Risk as Young Soldier #2
* Talon G. Ackerman as Fritz Bauer
Production
Ryan Little wrote the script for 'Saints and Soldiers: The Void' a few years before it was released. He had K. Danor Gerald picked out for the role of Owens before production even started, having worked with Gerald on 'Forever Strong' and 'House of Fears'. 'Saints and Soldiers: The Void' was the most expensive to film of the 'Saints and Soldiers' franchise, because of the use of tanks. Ryan Little and Adam Abel gathered tanks from Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, and Arizona to use for filming. It was filmed in Alpine, Utah. During production, Gerald would be the last cast member to eat lunch to better understand racism for his role of an African-American soldier.
Release and reception
The film was released on August 14, 2014 in a select number of theaters. The film was released on DVD in November 2014. 'Saints and Soldiers: The Void' received mixed reviews. 'The Salt Lake Tribune' called the film a, "riveting action drama with a strong message." However, 'Deseret News' wrote that the film, "offers an important message and some nice visuals. But there's still the feeling that a little more focus on writing and execution would have etched a more enduring experience."
References
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