5 Days of War

About two decades ago, Renny Harlin was one of the most sought-after action directors in Hollywood, with credits including box-office hits Die Hard 2 and Cliffhanger.

A couple of big-budget flops in the mid-1990s sent Harlin on a gradual spiral into obscurity, however, and toward projects such as 5 Days of War, for which his tendency toward grand explosions and frenetic action hardly seems to fit.

It’s about the five-day military conflict between Russia and the former Soviet republic of Georgia in 2008. The film follows American television reporter Thomas Anders (Rupert Friend), who witnesses firsthand the atrocities committed against the Georgian people, then struggles to get the story told for various reasons. His producer can’t find a news outlet interested in his version of the story, which conflicts with reports circulated by the Russian government, even as the fighting escalates and more innocent civilians are attacked.

The bar has been raised for contemporary war films with recent efforts such as The Hurt Locker along with footage of journalists embedded with troops that can be seen routinely on newscasts.

The film has some decent production values for an independent project, and Harlin obviously knows how to stage an action sequence. But 5 Days of War never really feels authentic, whether it’s the obligatory battle scenes, the awkward romance, or the behind-the-scenes negotiations.

The script by newcomer Mikko Alanne offers a perfunctory overview of the conflict though some clumsy dialogue, but the perspective is hardly fresh — that of an idealistic American journalist who endangers his life on a crusade for the truth. The writing ranges from cliched to downright silly, such as a scene in which Anders is talking politics with an old Russian colonel over a game of chess.

Perhaps viewers can pass the time by counting how many actors are employing accents other than their own. Friend is a British native playing an American, while Andy Garcia pops in as the increasingly frustrated Georgian president. Val Kilmer, Dean Cain and Heather Graham each show up in various capacities as part of the bizarre ensemble.

There are good intentions at work here, along with some talent on both sides of the camera. Perhaps it’s a sad commentary on world affairs that the subject matter feels so familiar.

Rated R, 113 minutes.