Post September 11, Hollywood has found its conscience and taken stock of the gung-ho way in which it travels the planet righting wrongs (as it sees them) and converting the world to the western way.

Maybe it's one of the ways America has been forced to examine itself to see why half the world loathes everything it stands for with such a passion. Maybe it's because Hollywood no longer has a need to feed missionary zeal in the Land of the Free, not with George Dubya at the helm and all.

Whatever, this interesting actioner looks for all the world like hundreds of similar titles, but is given a real heart by a fine screenplay courtesy of Alex Lasker and Patrick Cirillo.

Lt AK Waters (Bruce Willis) heads up a Navy SEALS operation to enter war-torn Nigeria and rescue American doctor, Lena Kendricks (Monica Bellucci). She only agrees to go if Waters also escorts 70 refugees to safety in nearby Cameroon.

Old school warrior Waters is suddenly confused. He's built his career following orders, but his conscience demands he disobey them in this instance.

Tears of the Sun is the first war film in ages to actually examine the nature of conflict and price it in its human cost. Picking over the human consequences of America's self-appointed position as the world's policeman is a bold move given continuing events in Iraq, but Tears of the Sun does it with quiet, dark decorum anchored by a trademark clenched jaw turn from Willis.

At least, it does until the final reel when all hell breaks loose and we're treated to a ridiculously heroic finale loaded with optimistic messages about America saving the day in spite of the cost to itself.

Unless it's Hollywood's way of saying sorry about Gulf War II...

Starring Bruce Willis, Monica Bellucci, Cole Hauser, Eamonn Walker, Tom Skerritt, Johnny Messner

Updated: 10:16 Friday, September 12, 2003