[Blarg]

It's just too bad about that ending. The sniper scene works as a structural parallel to the psychic destruction of the first half and does tie things together, but isn't remotely near its match, nor even sensible on its own. It works metaphorically on a number of levels very well, but is just frankly stupid as part of the fiction. I woulda shot her and so would 99% of everyone else, without anywhere near the drawn-out, super-milked drama of it. One way or another, she deserved it and one would be extremely strongly compelled to do it -- as an enemy killing your friends, and as someone in terrible pain with no hope, as a humanitarian gesture. Either way, the "decision" aspect of it wasn't really there, nor, after time spent in combat, would be the shock at the situation. Hell, it was crueler to keep her alive, in great pain but with no hope and scared as hell, staring at her, than it was to pop one in her skull and bring it to a merciful end. And frankly I think plenty of people wouldn't hesitate to do it just because they were pissed off or even because they got prejudiced before coming into the country or after getting shot at there for a while.

The flick fell apart at the end. Most do. It was a real shame that this one did, though.