The Last Full Measure

STORY: Inspired by a true story, ‘The Last Full Measure’ is a detailed account of one man’s struggle to get a US Air Force soldier the nation’s highest military honour, 34 years after his ultimate sacrifice in the Vietnam War.

REVIEW: April 11, 1966: It was one of the darkest days in the lives of many US Army soldiers, who survived a bloody gun battle, but the memory of that day kills them every day. One man, William H. Pitsenbarger (Jeremy Irvine) — a 21-year-old US Air Force Pararescueman — gave up his own life to save over 60 soldiers he had never met. He let go off the chance to escape and stayed back to help his countrymen, knowing well that it could be fatal.

Writer-director Todd Robinson meticulously takes us through the guilt, the conspiracy and the struggle that became the hallmarks of this true story. He deploys an army of performers to showcase that convincingly. Sebastian Stan is impressive as Scott Huffman, a Pentagon-assigned civilian lawyer who investigates the fallen hero’s worthiness for a Medal of Honour. Stan deftly captures Huffman’s internal conflict and moral growth as he goes from being reluctant to committed towards the cause. Much of the emotional baggage is carried by the war veterans played by Samuel L. Jackson, Ed Harris and William Hurt, who lend good support with their performances. But it is Christopher Plummer and Dianne Lad’s restrained and poignant portrayal that truly underlines the pride and agony of a parent who lost their son to the war.

On the downside, ‘The Last Full Measure’ feels lengthy and the screenplay doesn’t effectively revisit the fateful day. We see repeated flashes of the day and the young William played by Jeremy Irvine doesn’t really get a chance to shine. The narrative invests much time in repeated internal conflicts of characters until a rousing climax unleashes its full potential as a tear-jerker.

The writing remains honest to the true events and gives its viewers and protagonists a befitting closure. It’s a story of redemption and retribution that deserves a telling as much as the top honour for a fallen hero.