After these bloody wars, Will Gardner suffered several brain injuries during a bombing operation during the fighting. After a series of repeated surgeries, it is difficult for Will to reintegrate into society, which may make it more complicated and ill-conceived. After a series of setbacks by Gardner, he goes on a motorcycle trip all over America to capture all that is missing from his life during those wars.
[Martini's] filmmaking instincts... prove too self-indulgent and heavy-handed to tell the kind of emotionally involving tale about post-traumatic stress disorder among returning soldiers that he clearly had in mind.
The film endlessly traffics in the sort of clichés endemic to the genre, from its gung-ho country music soundtrack to its frequent combat flashbacks illustrating the horrors of war.
Homelessness among military veterans is a noble subject for a filmmaker to take on. So it deserves a better vehicle than Sgt. Will Gardner, writer-director Max Martini's clumsy and sometimes downright laughable portrayal of an injured Iraq war vet.
Heavy-handed clichés overwhelm the heartfelt intentions of this drama meant to salute veterans battling physical and emotional wounds as they return home.
