“The Monuments Men” takes one on an emotional journey through a time when Hitler was still feared by the world.  The film centers in on a little-known quest to preserve the culture of many people from whom it was forcibly torn as Hitler attempted to expand his reign.

George Clooney stars in, directs, writes, and produces this film about the seven men who went to dangerous extents to save art that was stolen by the Nazis.  The movie features elements ranging from heartbreak to surprise to humor, leaving one with a feeling of having witnessed something great.

During the 1940s, the world was in turmoil, but this movie gives one the ability to view the time period as partially positive.  It allows one to see that there were people who were working to preserve the culture and history of a people that could not save it themselves. The Monuments Men were devoted to this task because they understood its importance.

Featuring a group of diverse people, it is similar to Ocean’s Eleven. Though the people are different, they all connect with each other through the same goal or passion. One can draw a parallel to the determination and the complexity of the film.  They are willing to go to great lengths in order to save the art, much like the temptation in the Ocean’s film.

When watching a movie, the unknown factor that plays into one’s opinion of it is the film score.  It tells one how to feel and how the creators imagined the emotion of the moment.  Alexandre Desplat uses songs from the time period mixed with his own creations to illustrate the true despair, happiness, loss, longing, and intensity that the film displays.  Much like the passion of The Great Gatsby soundtrack, it captures the feeling of the era.  One can truly hear the depth of each moment.

The film does not feature continuous scenes of battle, but just enough to remind one of the truth in the situation.  Unlike Lone Survivor or Saving Private Ryan, this is not a movie based on the physical fight of war, but rather the fight to preserve oneself.

It represents the struggle to prevent the Nazis from destroying and stealing the art that people spent countless hours turning into accomplishments and points of pride for themselves.  This movie brings forth the true cause of war, any war: maintaining culture among the people.