The “miracle” of the title is literal: a supernatural intervention involving a severed head from a Florentine church. For viewers expecting a straight war film, this tonal shift can feel jarring. It works better if you approach it as a fable, not a documentary.

Some Italian critics objected to the portrayal of partisans as complicit in civilian deaths. Lee defends it as fiction, but it’s worth noting the controversy. 720p Blu-ray Specifics (Legitimate Release) | Aspect | Rating | Notes | |--------|--------|-------| | Video | 7.5/10 | 1280x544 (2.35:1). AVC encode. Grain is intact (no excessive DNR). Dark scenes (night patrols, basement interiors) show minor macroblocking if your screen is >50”. | | Audio | 8/10 | DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Gunfire has sharp directionality; the score (Terence Blanchard) fills the rears beautifully. | | Extras | 6/10 | Deleted scenes, a 20-min making-of featurette. No commentary track, sadly. |

Based on James McBride’s novel of the same name, Miracle at St. Anna follows four Black soldiers of the 92nd Infantry Division (the “Buffalo Soldiers”) who are trapped behind enemy lines in Tuscany, Italy, during WWII’s Gothic Line offensive in 1944. A Different War Movie Perspective Unlike Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers , Lee focuses on the often-erased story of African American soldiers fighting fascism abroad while facing racism at home and in the ranks. The film opens with a murder mystery in 1980s New York (involving a rare statue’s head), then flashes back — a structure that keeps you guessing.

7/10 Recommended for: Fans of The Thin Red Line (poetic war films), Spike Lee completists, WWII history buffs interested in Black combat units.

Here is your detailed review: Film Overview Director: Spike Lee Starring: Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, Laz Alonso, Omar Benson Miller, Matteo Sciabordi, John Turturro, Joseph Gordon-Levitt Runtime: 160 minutes Genre: War / Drama / Historical Fiction

You need tight pacing, dislike magical realism, or want historically airtight docudrama.

A 1080p Blu-ray exists and is superior for large screens. But for a projector or older 720p TV, this release is perfectly watchable — far better than streaming compression. Verdict Not Spike Lee’s best ( Do the Right Thing , Malcolm X ), but also not his worst ( Oldboy remake). Miracle at St. Anna is an ambitious, flawed, angry, and ultimately beautiful war fable that demands patience. If you go in expecting Glory in Italy, you’ll be confused. If you accept it as a mystical meditation on sacrifice, brotherhood, and historical amnesia, you’ll find moments of genuine power.

Lee weaves in his trademark “double dolly” shots, racial commentary (a white Southern officer’s bigotry is stomach-churning), and a brutal, operatic climax. The film doesn’t flinch from showing the massacre of Italian civilians by German SS — a historical tragedy Lee argues is under-discussed. The Mixed: Flaws to Consider Overlong & Unwieldy At 160 minutes, the film drags in its middle third. Subplots involving Italian partisans and a traitorous Fascist feel disjointed. Some critics called it “sprawling” — others, “messy.”