Courtesy of Touchstone Pictures

Why would a postal worker with the prestigious Purple Heart, no debts, no enemies and a clean record, be sentenced to 25 years in prison?

Some may find this bizarre, but until you see “Miracle at St. Anna,” you won’t get it.

Director Spike Lee collaborates with author and screenplay writer James McBride, to bring McBride’s novel to life. The astounding novel is another great tale brought to the big screen that shares a powerful story from the brutal years behind World War II. The 92nd Infantry Division, also known as the Buffalo Soldiers, was an all-black group of U.S. Army soldiers, but was led by a group of white commanders who had no trust in their men because of the their skin color. These soldiers endured mental struggles from their own commanders, along with the physiological propaganda from the Nazis, proving that mental pangs to the hearts of these heroes were just as painful.

This ambitious film seeks to tell the story about the racial conflicts that our own U.S. soldiers battled back at home from the prejudiced Americans at the time, while they died and put their lives on the line for American people’s freedom.

“Miracle at St. Anna” begins in Harlem, New York in December 1984, and takes us back to Tuscany, Italy in 1944 where the U.S. soldiers were stationed during World War II. The film involves Corporal Hector Negron (Laz Alonso), Sgt. Bishop Cummings (Michael Ealy), Staff Sgt. Aubrey Stamps (Derek Luke) and Pvt. First Class Sam Train (Omar Benson Miller), as they bring this historic epic to its feet. These four soldiers are the only survivors after the Nazi ambush. They band together as brothers to continue to fight for their lives in hopes of defending the American people. Along their journey, Train, the largest in stature of the four, may look intimidating, but his quick wit and big heart play a large part in the movie’s tone. Along Train’s journey, he almost kills a small Italian boy named Angelo (Matteo Sciabordi), but can’t fathom the idea of leaving his wounded body. Train and Angelo become best friends, and embark on the remainder of the War together as partners from different cultures with equal love for each other. Not only does Train learn to communicate with Angelo, but finds luck to come his way as he rubs the head of an old statue. The boy and the statue head become symbols for the miracle that brings this band of soldiers to their last days together in Tuscany.

As Negron is telling the story from his point of view, there is passion, strength and a sense of misunderstanding that is meant to set the tone of the film. Negron’s desire to have people understand the brutality that the Buffalo Soldiers endured during World War II lives on until he is able to unfold his side of the story and share the mystery behind the policemen’s findings. In the end, the past and present collide, tying the story together, proving that “Wherever we go, wherever we hide, there are risks.”

The ending of this two and a half hour long movie leaves the audience with an understanding that we are not what America used to be. We must push forward in the direction of our dreams in order to fulfill the purpose of our soldiers’ mission to secure the blessing of our liberties.

Film: Miracle at St. AnnaDistributed by: Touchstone PicturesDirector: Spike LeeGrade: A-