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Simon West To Direct Thunder Run
Based on David Zucchino's book

08 October 2007  |  Written by Olly Richards  |  Source: The Hollywood Reporter


Simon West has been coasting on a lot of goodwill since making his directing debut with Con Air. We've had to forgive Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and When A Stranger Calls and, frankly, we're all out of forgiveness. Maybe he can rescue his critical career with Thunder Run, a movie that certainly sounds good on paper and a lot more ambitious than anything he's attempted so far.

Thunder Run is based on David Zucchino's non-fiction book Thunder Run: The Armored Strike To Capture Baghdad. Zucchino will adapt the account of his time in the April 2003 battle in the Iraq War. Zucchino, who was at the time a reporter with the Los Angeles Times, was following the US Army's 101st Airborne Division, but was accidentally switched to the 2nd Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division – in what, we're assuming, will not be a series of hilarious mix ups – and found himself entering Baghdad during a "thunder run". Basically, that involves a lot more gunfire than a reporter might like to be happening around his head.

Sure, this doesn't seem like the kind of material you'd immediately give to West and we can't say we're not worried that he might be a little in over his head. But, maybe he has unexplored directing depths? Besides, he owes us all.

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Your Comments

What do you know....
Another political thriller based around Iraq. How very unique.....Sounds like Bloody Sunday the Iraq version. We'll probably get a steaming pile though... More

Posted by callumcostello at 12:34 on 09 October 2007 | Report This Post

Oh come on, grow up Empire...
...I assume everyone has forgotten the hugely underrated army thriller starring John PorkvoltaThe Generals Daughter? Simon West directed that. And A stranger calls is better than half the teen dross thrillers and horrors were thrown every year like a rotten bone to a mangy dog (yes, thats how little they care about our viewing pleasure a decade+ after Scream). And Tomb Raider was a guilty pleasure. Yes it wasn't perfect, but I don't see any other tomb raiding films (The Indy Jones TRILOGY, THATS More

Posted by coomi01 at 19:30 on 08 October 2007 | Report This Post

That's not fair, he made one great film and now you're not going to forgive him for the shit, you guys still kiss Tarrantino's ass, and Resevoir Dogs wasn't even that great More

Posted by CameronJames at 12:05 on 08 October 2007 | Report This Post

Loved Con Air
Took the piss in a very knowing way, and there was great action. West strikes me as the less-talented Scott sibling they don't talk about though. When a Stranger Calls was cack. I'll still give this a bash though More

Posted by AboyNamedSue at 11:11 on 08 October 2007 | Report This Post


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