Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

In 1918 and six weeks before the end of the war, Gen. Alexander orders an attack on the Argonne forest in France. New York lawyer Major Whittlesey (Rick Schroder) disagrees with the order but leads his men into the attack anyways. Alexander pushes Whittlesey forward despite the French having already withdrawn. Poor communications and general confusion leave Whittlesey and his more than 500 men stranded with everybody else retreating back to their trenches. They are surrounded by German forces while the Allies search for their exact location.This is a well made war movie considering it's only a TV movie. The action is superbly shoot. The sets are good and muddy. Schroder gives an effective performance as the sincere warrior with a conscience. Most of the cast does well. The true story is compelling patriotism and filled with good tension. It is a simple but impressive story.

I'd like to open this brief review by clarifying my chosen 'title'. Im not here to bash America or Americans - but this film was made explicitly for an American audience with American values. In such a regard i would imagine it succeeds magnificently.That aside, it fails on several levels. Ignoring the obvious budget and acting restraints, its fair to say that its historically ambiguous at best. Plain wrong at worst. The film implies that the planned attack slows and fails apart from in the American sector where a battalion of 'New Yorkers' has penetrated the German lines alone and is now cut off. Although this 'may' have happened to the unit mentioned, the main attack did not fail - it was part of the allied Grand Offensive (which ended the war) and must be taken in context if the story is to be told.This may appear to be nit-picking but its merely a part of the whole picture. For example; the film has you believe that the reason the Americans won was simply because they were American! Or 'Gangsters' as the German officer comments at the end. This is compounded by the concept of the men involved were such 'good' men. The best America has. Noble though this suggestion is, its out of place in a film about the First World War. Think of films about this war; Paths of Glory, All Quiet on the Western Front, Beneath Hill 60 etc .... All address the ultimate futility of the conflict. There is not honour or glory, good or bad.... Merely the living and the dead. There was no ideal to live up to or evil to be usurped. The Lost Battalion does not address this in any way. It shows to an extent (or tries to at least) the horrors and brutality of wars. And it implies that the horror and butchery can be justified in bringing a group of New Yorkers (Poles,jews etc) together as 'Americans' ... You could take the entire film, characters and sequences and transplant them into a Second World War environment and the viewer wouldn't know. That is poor story-telling.I also thought that it was a wasted opportunity to include homage to the two African American regiments involved in the Battle. Often overlooked by film makers but not the writers of history books thankfully!(At this point I feel I must acknowledge Americas valuable contribution to the War and the loss of many of her gallant sons. This film does not do them the justice they rightfully deserve)So - my gripes out of the way I'll continue ... The film has to be forgiven its low budget and does well in the action sequences, although they can be a little confusing to the viewer at times. The script doesn't give the cast much to work with, which leaves weak characters, but they do their best and should be commended for that at least. The effects are handled well enough and the film flows easily. There is nothing stand out about this film but then again there is nothing terribly bad about it either. Hence my 5/10 ... Had they improved the script and the subtle flag waving it may have garnered a respectable 6 or even a 7...

I will not comment on the facts or omissions or what actually happened versus what was portrayed. My comment is on the direction of the movie. The director appears to have learned his tricks of trade through reruns of "saving private Ryan" and "Band of Brothers". Where the camera work on those productions is superb and groundbreaking through the use of the first person perspective and excellent angles, in this production it feels contrite and jittery at best and gimmicky at worst. Wardrobe - obviously - took great pains to recreate the uniforms and equipment to great accuracy but the special effects department let down the whole visual experience with the acrobatic tumbles of the soldiers and the thriller style stunt work. The Ardenne shelling in "Band of Brothers" was nerve shattering and brought the terrible ordeal of the soldiers to the viewer in a way that is memorable. The attempt to recreate that effect here completely misses the mark.I'm afraid that the overall experience has not been pleasant and I kept wishing the director would stop trying to impress us and just tell the story.

In 1918 in World War I, in the Meuse-Argonne Sector in France, the former New York lawyer and Major Charles White Whittlesey (Rick Schroder) is assigned by Gen. Robert Alexander (Michael Brandon) to a massive suicidal attack against the German forces in the Argonne Forest with his five hundred men battalion. However, the forces supposed to be giving support through the flanks retreat and the communications with the headquarter of the 77th American Division are cut. Major Wittlesey holds his position with his men, mostly Irish, Polish, Italian and Jew gangsters from New York, surrounded by the German army. Without food, water, ammunition and medical supplies, only two hundred men survive after five days of siege.Based on a true event, "The Lost Battalion" is a great tale of bravery and courage. I do not know how accurate the facts are displayed, but I liked this movie very much. The battle scenes are very gore and realistic, in a war of trenches and bayonets, and the actors have great performances, being impossible to highlight an individual acting. Just as a curiosity, this film does not have any actress, only men in the cast. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "O Último Batalhão" ("The Last Battalion")