Heartbreak Ridge

Wuchak

December 18, 2018

6/10

***A more comedic version of “The Dirty Dozen,” but taking place in 1983 and starring Clint Eastwood*** Clint Eastwood’s "Heartbreak Ridge" (1986) stars Eastwood as a tough, soon-to-retire Marine gunnery sergeant who conflicts with the brass and his former-wife (Marsha Mason) as he takes command of a spoiled recon squad. The platoon is eventually deployed to Grenada in late October, 1983, in order to prevent a communist takeover and rescue some med students. Thirteen years after “The Dir…

John Chard

April 22, 2019

7/10

Crusty Clint is still not to be messed with. One of Clint Eastwood's most accessible 80s movies, Heartbreak Ridge sees the gruff actor on very fine form, this even though the "war is hell" core that fills out the last quarter via a rather silly gun toting rescue mission in Grenada does lack conviction. The film wins its stripes courtesy of James Carabatsos' razor witty script and the sub plot involving ex wife Aggie (Marsha Mason). For all its macho posturing and training routine shenanigans …

r96sk

February 2, 2022

7/10

<em>'Heartbreak Ridge'</em> is a rather good war film, one I enjoyed a fair bit. Clint Eastwood, to no-one's surprise, is the best performer from the onscreen talent, though I did like the support cast - namely Mario Van Peebles, Boyd Gaines and Arlen Dean Snyder. The plot is, although obvious in where it is heading, fun and holds one's attention. The score doesn't particularly stand out but there is one part around the middle which is neat. Some of the dialogue is a little cringe, but the…

CinemaSerf

March 29, 2025

6/10

Given the amount of homophobic/erotic banter going on here, it might have been more memorable if Clint Eastwood had actually had a gay character save the day in this otherwise bland and forgettable version of the “I wanna be your drill instructor” movie. He’s the sergeant who is returned to active duty, much to the chagrin of his boss “Powers” (Everett McGill) who reckons he’s an old relic that ought to be put out to pasture, or better yet - put in jail. He is given a recon squadron to knock int…