"Savior" is one of the finest movies made anywhere on the planet in the past decade, and it should be required viewing by anyone interested in the Balkan crisis. Some parts will make you shudder in horror, and others will bring you to tears. This tale of the Bosnian civil war brings the whole, strange (for Americans), savage and sordid truths about "ethnic cleansing" straight into your living room via the VCR.

Dennis Quaid delivers the role of a lifetime as a former U.S. government agent driven mad by grief to attack innocent Muslim worshippers at a mosque, which leads to a 6-year stint in the French Foreign Legion. Once free of his commitment to the Legion, he becomes a mercenary in Bosnia, where he continues his vengeance campaign against Muslims.

But as Quaid finds out, his allies can be scummier than his foes; this is the setup of "Savior," wherein Quaid redeems his humanity to save a helpless baby, yet another victim of the nameless war.

One thing that Roger Ebert doesn't mention: The guys with the hammers are Croats, not Serbs or Bosniaks (Muslims). You will understand this reference once you see the film -- and you should. It is a brutal scene; I have experienced nothing like it in the cinematic vein since "Sophie's Choice."