Is Tinseltown finally catching on about Iraq War movies?

An article in Variety today had Hollywood calling a "truce" on war films after yet another Iraq war flop at the boxoffice. Green Zone, (read my review here) which cost a $100 million to make, brought in just $14.5 million in its first weekend on screen. In Hollywood, it's all about the first weekend sales and Green Zone is a bonafide failure.

For people who spend millions in pols, research, and marketing, Hollywood is surprisingly tone deaf about Iraq War movies.

Hey Hollywood, listen up.

We go to movies to feel good. 

We don't go to be lectured.

We don't go to be told what a bad job we're doing internationally, even about a war that is admittedly unpopular with the American people.

We know we should diet. We know we should eat vegetables. We know we should read more and watch TV less. We're nagged enough, thank you.

A movie like Green Zone is the cinematic equivalent of a big, steaming plate of broccoli. It may be good for us, but we're not going to hire a babysitter and shell out fifteen bucks to eat it.

Of course, Green Zone, with its story of a Bush administration conspiracy to create evidence of non-existent WMDs goes further than just broccoli. It's closer to the line of political propaganda.

The soldiers over at Blackfive.net, an online community for soldiers, expressed frustration at the repeated negative portrayal of American troops.

It seems Tinseltown is finally listening. After ten years, Hollywood may be done with Iraq. Serve us up some frothy confection, boys, or some meat to chew on. Leave the broccoli to us.