Miracle at St. Anna
Miracle at St. Anna has its origins in the Italian theatre of the dying days of World War 2 but culminates early in the movie in 1983 when postal worker Hector Negron (Laz Alonso) goes postal by using a German Lugar to dispatch a seemingly innocent customer in need of a stamp. The ensuing police investigation of the former Corporal’s apartment by Detective Ricci (John Turturro) leads to the discovery of not only a Purple Heart but also a priceless sculpture. This sets off an international stir although why John Leguizamo is tossed into the mix at this point is a mystery and more importantly a waste of time as the film is uncomfortably long. With the war winding down and the US Army running out of recruits the military was forced to allow blacks to take on combat roles previously thought beyond the capability of an African-American. A handful of these soldiers after being turned into cannon fodder find themselves behind enemy lines but in a position of advantage considering the coming German offensive. They include Staff Sergeant Stamps (Derek Luke taking on the role earmarked for tax troubled Wesley Snipes) and Sergeant Cummings (Michael Ealy) and while regrouping Private Train (Omar Benson Miller) adopts a seemingly mentally challenged orphan who turns out to be the “miracle” after events at a Tuscan church called St. Anna. Taking refuge in a village they discover it harbours a group of partisans holding a German soldier who for some reason has been marked for death by Adolph Hitler himself. Adapted from James McBride’s 2003 novel of the same name, this is the latest project from Spike Lee so making a racial point is expected bit it’s not made with a lot of impact and gets distracted by plot twists that go nowhere. The real miracle will be if it makes a big impact at the box office.