Jamie Foxx Goes Full Cult Leader—And I’m Not Sure We Needed That. Tin Soldier Review (2025)

The Bokushi offers a program for US combat veterans seeking their "purpose" and path forward. Now the Government is concerned with the rapid rise of this well-armed, highly trained, and eternally devoted Shinjas in the cult-like "Program."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVjj3NH2qYM

Alright, gather ‘round the campfire, kids, and let me tell you the tale of Tin Soldier, a movie that saunters in like it’s got something profound to say about veterans, cults, and trauma - and then proceeds to light itself on fire with a Molotov cocktail of confused tone, cinematic vertigo, and a soundtrack that feels like your Alexa got possessed by a roadie from Burning Man.

Directed by Brad Furman, Tin Soldier stars Scott Eastwood - yes, Clint's kid, still riding the saddle of legacy like it's a mechanical bull at a dive bar - and Jamie Foxx, who’s gone full Bokushi mode here. Foxx plays a messianic leader of a highly trained group of ex-military “Shinjas” (Shinobi meets Ninja meets...Shiny? I dunno). The Bokushi runs a cult-esque rehab-for-combat-vets program that the U.S. government, understandably, sees as a red flag big enough to block out the sun.

Now look, I like Jamie Foxx. I’ve liked him since In Living Color. I liked him in Ray, Collateral, and even Booty Call, and no, I will not apologize for that. But here? He’s swinging for the fences with a performance that’s half Charles Manson, half Oprah Winfrey motivational monologue, and unfortunately, the ball gets caught in the outfield. It’s the kind of role that asks a lot from a viewer. Like, “believe this man can simultaneously lead a cult and read your aura while also dropkicking helicopters.” Spoiler: I couldn’t.

Then there's Scott Eastwood, who’s still trying to shed the "Hey, don’t I look like my dad?" aura every time he squints into a camera. In Tin Soldier, he plays Nash Cavanaugh (yes, that's his actual name and not the name of a 2000s country singer), a haunted vet who joins the Bokushi’s operation, but surprise! He’s really working with the FBI. Or maybe against them? Or maybe he’s just confused like the rest of us. The movie tries to give him an inner turmoil arc - which actually includes some trippy, psychedelic visuals - but the effect is more "gas station mushroom tea" than "Apocalypse Now."

Now let’s talk Nora Arnezeder. She’s there. She exists. The script gives her about as much to do as a background extra in a car commercial, but she manages to bring some quiet presence to a film that’s otherwise busy screaming into a megaphone about how deep it is. She deserved better. We all did.

And speaking of “better,” let’s touch on the cinematography. I’m not saying the cameraman was drunk, but I am saying if this movie were a person, it would walk into a revolving door and get stuck. The disorienting camera angles are obviously meant to evoke the internal chaos of the characters, but honestly, it feels more like someone dropped the lens down a flight of stairs and just rolled with it. Artistic, sure. Enjoyable? Not so much.

Then there’s the pacing. Watching Tin Soldier is like driving in traffic behind someone learning to use a clutch. There are jolts, starts, lurches, and the occasional moment of "Hey, this could go somewhere!" - followed immediately by a stall-out of momentum and another long, ponderous look at Eastwood’s tortured cheekbones.

And oh boy, the music. Can we talk about this new trend in movies where the score is either so subtle you forget it's there, or so loud and disjointed you wonder if the composer lost a bet? In Tin Soldier, the score tries to amp up the emotion, but it’s more distracting than dramatic. And why the singing, Hollywood? This isn’t a campfire kumbaya moment - it’s supposed to be a gritty, high-stakes thriller. Stop trying to turn everything into a Les Mis flash mob.

On the trivia front, credit where it's due: Christian George (FBI Special Agent Yates) suffered a brutal leg injury just before filming, and the crew rewrote scenes to accommodate it. That’s commitment - and frankly, the realism of a limping fed added more gravity than half the monologues. Also, the entire movie was filmed in under 50 days, which is about the amount of time it takes me to get through a Monday. That might explain some of the undercooked elements, like character arcs or coherent dialogue.

And finally - because no movie review is complete without mentioning Robert De Niro - his fingerprints aren’t on this movie, but his politics apparently are, lurking like a boom mic in the frame. Whether that’s a good thing or not depends on your tolerance for ideologically scented cameos. Me? I came for action and intrigue, not to get lectured during a knife fight.

Bottom line? Tin Soldier is like trying to read Catcher in the Rye while doing shots of NyQuil. There are glimpses of greatness, but they’re buried under layers of awkward tone shifts, dizzying visuals, and a story that can’t decide if it’s a war thriller, a character study, or a recruitment video for existential dread.

Final Ranking: 5.5/10

Tin, not gold. Maybe next mission, boys.

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