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Tears of the Sun

Tears of the Sun

War · Action · Drama · 2003

Navy SEAL Lieutenant A.K. Waters and his elite squadron of tactical specialists are forced to choose between their duty and their humanity, between following orders by ignoring the conflict that surrounds them, or finding the courage to follow their conscience and protect a group of innocent refugees. When the democratic government of Nigeria collapses and the country is taken over by a ruthless military dictator, Waters, a fiercely loyal and hardened veteran is dispatched on a routine mission to retrieve a Doctors Without Borders physician.

Movie details

Tears of the Sun

“He was trained to follow orders. He became a hero by defying them.”

2003 War · Action · Drama 2h 1m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.9 / 10

Community rating

Navy SEAL Lieutenant A.K. Waters and his elite squadron of tactical specialists are forced to choose between their duty and their humanity, between following orders by ignoring the conflict that surrounds them, or finding the courage to follow their conscience and protect a group of innocent refugees. When the democratic government of Nigeria collapses and the country is taken over by a ruthless military dictator, Waters, a fiercely loyal and hardened veteran is dispatched on a routine mission to retrieve a Doctors Without Borders physician.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Tears of the Sun?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Antoine Fuqua

Written by

Patrick Cirillo · Alex Lasker

Bruce Willis

Bruce Willis

Lieutenant A.K. Waters

Monica Bellucci

Monica Bellucci

Dr. Lena Fiore Kendricks

Cole Hauser

Cole Hauser

James 'Red' Atkins

Eamonn Walker

Eamonn Walker

Ellis 'Zee' Pettigrew

Johnny Messner

Johnny Messner

Kelly Lake

Nick Chinlund

Nick Chinlund

Michael 'Slo' Slowenski

Tom Skerritt

Tom Skerritt

Captain Bill Rhodes

Court is in session

Put Tears of the Sun on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Momentum is a formal choice.”

The velocity sharpens instinct and tension, making every beat land before self-importance can settle in.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“Speed as an alibi.”

The film races past its weak spots and hopes acceleration will keep the audience from inspecting the evidence.