Today’s quick review: Catch-22. Captain Yossarian (Alan Arkin), an Air Force bombardier stationed in Italy during World War II, wants just one thing: to go home. Forced to fly more and more missions for Colonel Cathcart (Martin Balsam), Yossarian tries everything he can think of to get relieved of duty. But as the lunacy around him escalates and his fellow officers begin to die, Yossarian has to confront the possibility that there may be no way out.
Catch-22 is a dark war comedy based on the novel by Joseph Heller. Alan Arkin stars as Yossarian, an Air Force officer trapped in an insane squadron where only he seems to understand the horror of what’s going on. Catch-22 uses absurd humor to highlight the terrors of war and the inhumanity of the bureaucracy that carries it out. The story depicts these themes with energy and wit, but its particular flavor of dark humor won’t be for everyone.
Catch-22 has a knack for surreal humor. Even at their most relatable, the characters have a skewed perspective on reality. Combined with the movie’s disjointed presentation style, this turns even perfectly explainable situations into exercises in abusrdity. The ensemble cast includes Bob Newhart, Jack Gilford, Martin Sheen, Jon Voight, and Orson Welles, while a suitably distraught performance from Alan Arkin ties the whole thing together.
At the same time, Catch-22 channels its humor for something verging on horror. Yossarian is trapped by the whims of his commanding officers, by the circular logic of the military, and by a war that offers him no respite. Much of the film has a light, if exasperated tone, but there are some darker moments that are made all the more chilling by the way Yossarian’s comrades treat them. The effect is a subtle but disturbing disconnection from reality.
The catch is that the movie can be hard to follow. Catch-22 has a bevy of characters who only receive brief introductions before being put to work. The nonlinear storytelling jumps around between three or four points in the timeline, and scene transitions are often based on lines of dialogue or thematic connections rather than causality. The result is a puzzle that takes a fair amount of attention to sort out, even if the lunacy shows through clearly.
Catch-22 is a peculiar movie that will not appeal to everyone. Those willing to roll with its dark moments and jumbled story will be treated to some truly brilliant comedy with a unique flavor. The movie looks at a particular type of bureaucratic nightmare and reacts to it in the only way possible: to laugh. Those hoping for a simple, feel-good comedy or a straight war movie may want to steer clear.
For another war satire in the same vein, try Doctor Strangelove. For a more direct look at the traumas of war, try Dunkirk. For another dose of insanity, check out One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Those who want a more conventional war comedy may want to check out Stripes or No Time for Sergeants. For a purer comedy that hits some of the same notes, try It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
7.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for capturing a specific form of madness.