- S: The film is heavily entrenched in a very grim reality that is, unfortunately, very sensible. Only curiosity is the use and placement of a smoke during a breakout sequence.
- C: Highlight of the film is sound design; it is the primary effect creating immersion throughout the film. The gun-fire and explosions hit like a shock to the system. Costuming and production design are excellent.
- E: The film has moments of extreme lull, followed by brief, high intensity sequences. This back and forth plays excellently narratively and visually. The back and forth mirrors the
complex reality of combat and magnifies the intense moments.
- N: Few war films capture the grim reality of combat like this one. The film is punishing, and intentionally so. The film shows the constant suffering of the soldiers, the civilians, the infrastructure, and
provides the viewer almost no rewards. There are near zero kills shown on screen, very emblematic of real combat in this type of environment. The film also, unlike many war films, paints
the American soldiers in a fairly negative light, showing the negative impact they have on the community around them and their rather frequent mistakes in combat. It constantly feels like a losing battle, and the film ends bleakly
showing that, after all the intensity of the story, there were no positive results. Only negative to this kind of narrative is that there are likely many viewers who will not be able to enjoy or care about this story. It's en medias res and ends without
any reward for your time. Although it is meant to show the terrible nature of war, the story is so unforgiving that it can make for an unpleasant viewing experience if unprepared.
- T: The film received three bonus points: one for the incredible sound design and visuals of the IED incident, one for sound design as a whole, and one for the extremely punishing narrative
with no upside.
I was worried that a war film based on memory would be far too glamorous or heroic, but this was far from that. It shows the nature of war, the soliders, and combat in such a negative light
that is almost never seen in American war films. The sound design is such an excellent feature, making the theater experience unforgettable. Highly recommend watching this film in theaters to experience it to the fullest.
Number of Watches: 1
