courtesy of Paramount Pictures (left to right) Channing Tatum as Steve Shriver, Abbie Cornish as Michelle, and Ryan Phillippe as Brandon King in “Stop-Loss.”

There have been a lot of political or "message" films about the war in Iraq and "War on Terror" over the last few years (recently including "Rendition," Brian De Palma's "Redacted," and Robert Redford's "Lions for Lambs"), the quality of these films varying greatly. Few of these films, however, have dealt squarely with the willing and enthusiastic involvement of American youth in combat after the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

In director Kimberly Peirce's "Stop-Loss," the topic is tackled with varying degrees of success, the least successful of which are the performances and the most its examination of loyalty in the light of the film's focus: the United States military's controversial stop-loss policy, which allows them to involuntarily extend the length of service for soldiers.

"Stop-Loss" opens with stylized home video footage of an enthusiastic unit of U.S. Army soldiers on their tour of duty in Iraq, focusing on Sgt. Brandon King (Ryan Phillippe), Steve Shriver (Channing Tatum), Tommy Burgess (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), and several others. These young men are good, well-trained soldiers who love what they do. Even after a tragic ambush on their unit, which results in casualties and serious injuries, they are still as gung-ho as ever to serve their country.

Shortly after, they arrive back in their home state of Texas on temporary leave (though the last for King, whose tour of duty has ended). Peirce uses these scenes back home to paint an honest, if somewhat stereotypical view of these hard-drinking, gun-toting, party boys and their girlfriends. A warm welcome home in the city's streets and refrains of Toby Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)" let the viewer know that these are a people who support and celebrates soldiers and what they do.

Later, while finishing up the red tape necessary to end his military service, King discovers that he has been assigned to another lengthy tour of duty overseas. He is shocked and outraged to find that he has been "stop-lossed" and goes absent without leave (AWOL) from his military base and town.

Taking his friend Michelle (Shriver's girlfriend) with him, he attempts to travel north to Washington, D.C., and talk to his congressman about his problem, but discovers along the way that the pressure from the government, the military, and his friends is not easy to escape.

This is Peirce's first directorial effort since her acclaimed outing in 1999's "Boys Don't Cry." She is less successful here, with less-capable performers and a self-written screenplay that feels like it needed another draft or two. While there is energy, urgency, and honesty to the proceedings and lives of these young men, it feels rushed and unsure of which direction it wants to take.

Phillippe is given the biggest chance to shine, and though he isn't entirely successful, he's sympathetic and likable once he gets on the road with Michelle and away from Texas. His accent seems a little forced, however, and the move from reflective and serious to defiant and angry once he is stop-lossed is tough to swallow.

Cornish is good as Michelle, but aside from being the obligatory love-interest and tough Texas girlfriend, she's just along for the ride and doesn't get to make much of an impact.

Tatum's performance as Shriver is very disappointing after his fantastic turn in "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints." His feelings of betrayal and duty to his country are believable, but Tatum seems incapable of expressing them properly.

Gordon-Levitt is simply not given enough screen time to flesh out the character of Burgess, and the result is a young man with a drinking problem who seems to be around as a plot device for emotional impact rather than to paint an honest portrayal of a struggling soldier.

It's clear by the film's ending, which pulls a U-turn from where viewers may expect it to go, that the decision to go the honest route in telling this story doesn't work. It's simply not believable. The characters' decisions make little sense, and Peirce, despite incredibly in-depth research on these men in uniform, doesn't allow them enough time to breathe and become real.

Despite its flaws, however, the film succeeds in driving home the point that the stop-loss policy is a tragic affair. It's just too bad that there isn't a better story here to deliver that message.

Acting - C+
Writing - B-
Direction - B+
Overall - B-