Tigerland
| Tigerland | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Joel Schumacher |
| Produced by |
Arnon Milchan Beau Flynn Steven Haft |
| Written by |
Ross Klavan Michael McGruther |
| Starring |
Colin Farrell Matthew Davis Clifton Collins, Jr. Shea Whigham Cole Hauser |
| Music by | Nathan Larson |
| Cinematography | Matthew Libatique |
| Edited by | Mark Stevens |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
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Release date
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Running time
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101 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $10 million |
| Box office | $148,701 |
Tigerland is a 2000 American war drama film directed by Joel Schumacher starring Colin Farrell in the role of Private Roland Bozz, and takes place in a training camp for soldiers to be sent to the Vietnam War.
Tigerland was the name of a U.S. Army training camp during the mid-1960s to early 1970s located at Fort Polk, Louisiana as part of the U.S. Army Advanced Infantry Training Center. As often the last stop for new infantrymen on their way to Vietnam, Tigerland was established in humid and muggy Fort Polk in order to closely mimic the environmental conditions of South Vietnam. The film's setting is loosely based on this training camp.
It is September 1971 and it is clear that the US is losing the Vietnam War. In the opinion of the average American soldier who came of age during the Peace movement of the 1960s, Vietnam was "lost a long time ago". Roland Bozz (Colin Farrell), a draftee who is opposed to the war, is shown to be an unruly soldier with no respect for authority; he disobeys orders and talks back to his superiors. He quickly befriends another recruit, Jim Paxton (Matthew Davis), an aspiring writer who records his experiences in a personal journal. Unlike Bozz, Paxton volunteered for the Army. Upon reaching their post, the company commanding officer Captain Saunders makes it clear that every soldier who passes through Fort Polk and Tigerland will be sent to Vietnam. He also states that any political views on the war are irrelevant at this point.
As the film progresses, another side of Bozz is shown. Having "x-ray vision for loopholes," Bozz finds ways for soldiers to get out of the army — one because he not only has children but also a handicapped wife; another soldier, Miter (Clifton Collins Jr.), who joined to prove his manhood but finds himself way over his head. At one point, another soldier approaches Bozz while on leave and asks for help getting out, saying "I was told if you don't wanna go to 'Nam, you either pray to Jesus, or go see Roland Bozz." Bozz also shows his reasoning behind being opposed to the war: his human compassion. Eventually Bozz's natural leadership and ability earns him the title of squad leader (sometimes called acting Jack). Another private, Wilson (Shea Whigham), a racial bigot and instigator, continuously demeans Miter and Bozz. Bozz is the only one that retaliates, which results in a fight between the two. Paxton helps break up the fight and also earns the hatred of Wilson.
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