‘The Inspection’ Movie Review: Military Propaganda Overwhelms LGBTQ Identity Story

Movies told from the perspective of Marines have the potential for rich, engaging storytelling, with Full Metal Jacket and Jarhead standing as a couple of the most notable. The Inspection writer/director Elegance Bratton explores a fictionalized version of his own past experiences as a young, gay Black man pushing through boot camp. The utterly personal details are present, but it’s a propaganda film that feels trapped behind Marine movie tropes and frustrating messaging.

‘The Inspection’ breaks recruits down in boot camp

Based on a true story, Ellis French (Jeremy Pope) is a young, gay Black man barely making his way through life. His mother, Inez (Gabrielle Union), rejects him entirely, willing to allow his potential for a successful future to die. Therefore, Ellis decides to join the Marines to make something of himself and give his life meaning.

During the era of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Ellis realizes that the system of the Marines don’t welcome him with open arms. Nevertheless, he does his very best to transform himself into the perfect recruit, even though the process becomes increasingly grueling.

Masculinity through physicality and psychology

Ellis and Inez haven’t seen each other for five years before he shows up on her doorstep. She moved on with her life, making peace with the fact that he’s dead in her eyes because of who he is. Inez calls it his “lifestyle,” considering her dreams for her son obliterated. But, Ellis still believes that one day, they will reconnect and their mother-son relationship will flourish. Until then, Ellis is only present to retrieve his birth certificate to apply for the Marines.

The Inspection quickly throws Ellis and the audience into the thick of the life of a recruit. The first series of questions he’s asked include if he’s a drug-user or a gay man from a shouting drill sergeant. This is only the beginning, as homophobia, racism, misogyny, and religious prejudice rear their ugly heads. The recruits are informed that they will be broken down over the course of boot camp, but all those who don’t fit into the categories of white, Christian, and straight face additional abuse and humiliation.

When the group becomes privy to Ellis’ attraction to other men, they shun him from the group. Their discomfort around him immediately escalates into violence, which squad leader Brooks (Nicholas Logan) derives great pleasure from. Ellis is at the hands of toxic masculinity and corruption, which continues to crush him on the inside as a result. However, he finds solace in a superior named Rosales (Raúl Castillo), demonstrating acts of kindness and positive motivation in a sea of hatred.

‘The Inspection’ is harmful propaganda

This fictionalized account of Bratton’s story in The Inspection comes with a sense of intimacy, as it’s an infuriating watch that’s rather hard to stomach. Even so, he weaves masculine eroticism into the dreamlike landscape that then crashes back into reality. Cinematographer Lachlan Milne elevates these moments with a distinctive color palette that separates these worlds, but illuminates these scenes just enough to still highlight the impending darkness in the frame.

Pope has undeniable star quality with the potential for a monumental career beyond his already-luscious performances in One Night in Miami… and Pose. His work in The Inspection is delightfully complex, peeling back the layers of Ellis to reveal both immense strength and delicate emotion. Meanwhile, Union has little screentime, yet her presence is felt throughout. Inez’s domineering judgments are felt throughout the boot camp, which is expertly integrated by Union. Balancing out the feature is Castillo’s compassion as Rosales, bringing a much-needed warmth that brings out some of the picture’s most earnest moments.

However, The Inspection is undeniably a propaganda piece. Posters line the hallways in the background of the frame with plenty of this language and imagery, but the film’s message is no different. It embraces the notion that one must be broken to become a “real man,” and only through the Marines could Ellis achieve that level of manhood. Additionally, Bratton lets homophobic and other prejudiced actions, as well as those who commit them, off the hook far too easily, casually dismissing acts of hate.

The Inspection echoes brainwashed sensibilities of masculinity and the self, improperly interrogating the broken system and those who perpetuate it. Pope, Union, and Castillo are absolute forces, imbuing the film with shades of humanity. Aside from a few touching moments, there’s a lack of character depth and an excess in harmful propaganda.

The Inspection opens in limited release on Nov. 18 and expands to a wide release on Dec. 2.