Based on a true story, “The Monuments Men” tells the journey of a group of men during World War II who are on a hunt to find artistic masterpieces that were stolen by Nazi thieves. These men travel from France to Germany dressed as soldiers, and search museums, houses, and coal mines to rescue artwork, especially the famous Madonna and Child sculpture. Although the historical context was interesting and ended with a meaningful message, the two-hour-long film was too slow and shouldn’t be categorized in the action genre.

With Academy Award-winning actors George Clooney, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchet, and Matt Damon, the story was captured nicely. Without their exceptional performances and, of course, Blanchet’s realistic French accent, the movie would have been bland and not worth seeing. Overall, the characters were well-developed and had just the right balance of seriousness and humor.

Despite the high level of performance, the film was too slow for my taste. I expected to see more action and violent moments like in “Inglorious Bastards” or “Saving Private Ryan,” not long conversations and a gradual buildup to the climax. My expectations were to watch scenes of concentration camps, Nazi soldiers, Hitler, and lots of blood. I wasn’t on the edge of my seat or getting chills which is usually expected in a movie with a World War II setting.

“The Monuments Men” is a movie that will be remembered, not because of its impressive acting, but because it’s a story from the past that changed the future. Famous artwork by Picasso, Van Gogh, Michelangelo, and many other creative minds wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for the monuments men.