The core of this movie is a love story--and a very romantic, engaging one at that. Breathtaking cinematography and gripping storytelling make this an exceptionally watchable piece of filmmaking. The politics of World War I, the horrors of the Turkish collaboration with the Nazis and their genocidal treatment of the Armenians are merely used as a backdrop to show the effects of war on everyday human beings. Along with other reviewers, I found that Hera Hilmar's performance as an American missionary nurse in Turkey quirky and often unconvincing--even just the fact of her hair always hanging in her face as she ministers to wounded men being carried her way on stretchers. She does improve as the film goes on and pretty much redeems herself in a key scene near the end. This is a movie, not a history lesson, and as such it offers viewers much to savor and contemplate.

I watched this film not knowing what it was about thinking perhaps due to the title it was similar to one of the my favorite films The English Patient. Unfortunately it was like a low budget B film that wished it had actors like Nicole Kidman and Eric Bana but instead hired 2 actors that sort of look like them.. but are not good enough to be lead actors at this stage of their careers and cant carry a terrible script but kudos to the director for even attempting to shoot it.

Here are the problems about this film that had some potential and yet have little to do with the history issues which is rather pathetic also but only a minor issue of the main problems.

The 2 main lead actors have no chemistry and Hera the female lead is as bland as water and sounds like a 14 year old teenager that just reads her lines with no depth whatsoever, but maybe one day will perhaps have some potential as she matures but in this film she has no emotional scale to be a lead. It was so painful to watch and her narration was so childish it made one almost wish they hired someone else to narrate it.

And her male leading man is also even more bland so there is the main problem with this film. Forget about the terrible script/dialogue that can be forgiven due to the majestic landscapes which are fantastic and the best part of the movie is the supporting cast of Josh and Ben that are wonderful but not enough to carry the entire film. Honestly i do not understand why they did not switch the roles of Josh and this dull lead actor. At least those two seem to have a little chemistry. Bad decision making just like Valerian that also bet on the 2 wrong actors and bombed.

Spoiler: And the funny part is when the lead actor is sent... totally alone on a suicide mission. This is a lieutenant, not a private or low level soldier is sent to blow up an armory of weapons inside a castle guarded by Russian soldiers. Yes more like a suicide mission 007 would do alone. Did the writer really think this through or was there not enough money in the $40 million budget. Simply hilarious and this is the son of a big military man. This is just one example of how pathetic this story is not to mention the lead actor asking the American lead to go out of her way to help some Armenians after he was almost killed by them. Yes that would be high on his list of things to do. The film writing just gets more silly and ends with him thankfully dying and his body being tossed out of a boat into a lake. Hum.. but i don't think muslems really like being buried in water esp if land is right in sight of them.

I give it a 4 star rating because of the supporting cast and the beautiful landscapes and not sure how on earth 13k people are giving it 8.1 which is impossible to imagine. Rotten tomatoes is more in line with a 21% rating. 2/10.

In 1914, in Philadelphia, the wealthy and idealistic nurse Lillie Rowe (Hera Hilmar) learns in a lecture by Dr. Jude (Josh Hartnett) that there is an American medical mission founded by Dr. Garrett Woodruff (Ben Kingsley) in the countryside of the Ottoman Empire that needs donation. She decides to donate and deliver herself the truck that belonged to her deceased brother and medical supplies using her heritage. On the arrival, she stumbles upon the Ottoman Lieutenant Ismail Veli (Michiel Huisman) that helps her to visit a mosque. Lillie is forced by the government to be escorted by Lieutenant Ismail to drive to the mission and he is assigned to spy the local Armenians. Lillie works in the hospital and falls in love with Ismail while Jude suffers from unrequited love. Meanwhile the World War I begins and the mission is in the middle of the Ottoman Empire where the Russians are coming.

"The Ottoman Lieutenant" is a beautiful romance with a triangle of love in World War I. The cinematography is impressive; the direction is excellent; and the cast has great performances. The story could have used a less polemic and unpleasant background instead of the Armenian Genocide. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Amor em Tempos de Guerra" ("Love in Times of War")