Saints and Soldiers: The Void

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Saints and Soldiers: The Void
Saints and Soldiers- The Void poster.jpg
Film poster
Directed byRyan Little
Written byRyan Little
StarringK. Danor Gerald
Adam Gregory
Matt Meese
Ben Urie
Stacey Harkey
Bart Johnson
Music byJames Schafer
Release date
  • August 15, 2014 (2014-08-15)
Running time
94 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguagesEnglish
German

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[]

  • 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.[1] 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.[2] 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.[2][3]

Release and reception[]

The film was released on August 14, 2014 in a select number of theaters.[2][3] The film was released on DVD in November 2014.[3] Saints and Soldiers: The Void received mixed reviews. The Salt Lake Tribune called the film a, "riveting action drama with a strong message."[4] 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."[5]

References[]

  1. ^ Court, Mann (August 14, 2014). "New 'Saints and Soldiers' film chronicles World War II's conclusion". Daily Herald. Herald Communcations. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c Toone, Trent (August 14, 2014). "Actors, filmmakers celebrate Saints and Soldiers franchise with roundtable discussion". Deseret News. Deseret News Publishing Company. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c Petrovsky, Mike (December 28, 2014). "A Gate City Saint and Soldier-Latest movie in World War II series features character from Pocatello". Idaho State Journal. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  4. ^ Means, Sean P. (August 15, 2014). "Movie review: Third 'Saints and Soldiers' film is a riveting war story". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  5. ^ Terry, Josh (August 14, 2014). "New 'Saints and Soldiers' spotlights tank battles, racial conflicts in WWII". Deseret News. Deseret News Publishing Company. Retrieved April 12, 2019.

External links[]

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