That is one incredible documentary. My kid who’s in JrROTC needs to watch that tonight.
Thanks for the heads up. Saw only the last half a few weeks ago.
ping
I watched it a few weeks ago streaming on Netflix. It doesn’t just make you wonder what they are doing there. It makes it seem like an obscene waste of our armed forces. Soldiers sitting down trying to make friends with bearded, toothless freaks. What the hell?
After reading the book....I think National Geographic did a fair job with this production. Surprising given their usual lefty tilt. Restrepo is a peek inside the infantry war in the Korengal Valley. Good stuff. Realistic.
Amazing film.
More of a log than a traditional documentary, as the filmmakers don’t speak a word and aren’t seen.
My son was friends with Juan Restrepo in Medic school in San Antonio. We took my son, Juan and several of their buds to dinner one weekend. They were all great kids. I think Juan was the only one to go direct to Afghanistan after medic training. Apparently he was killed about 6 months after he graduated.
My son was in Kosovo when he heard about Juan. Tough on him. Tough on all of us. He was a real nice kid - left a wife and little girl (if I remember correctly).
Watched the movie the last time it was on Nat Geo. Hard to watch. Not sure I can do it again.
Netflix has it available on Istant Watch. I did see half of it last night and was very impressed. I’ll catch the other half tonight.
Combat, from the point of view of an infantry combatant, is completely devoid of any political or social component. It is simply a primeval struggle between warriors. If you survive, it is because you have killed your opposite number. You have more than likely stood over his dead body and exalted at the triumph. If he were not dead, you would be. He was a warrior just like you, but one of you was going to die and you a damned glad that its not you. Its not personal.
No film can capture what infantry combat is like, though many have tried. This film does a good job from my point of view and is well worth seeing.
Good documentary, GREAT book!
No it is not. It is a crashing bore.
Loved the film. You can’t get much closer to reality than that without being there. It was very disappointing to learn we pulled out of the valley giving the important strategic location back to the bad guys. It was also maddening to watch them do knock-n-talks with tribal elders you just knew were supporting Taliban fighters.
Seen it. The sorrow on the faces of these young vets at being betrayed by Obozo mirrors what we saw in each other when we came back from Vietnam. When our best refuse to serve any longer, we will be finished.
One of my OCS cadre at Fort Benning was one of the officers @ Restrepo. He gave a talk about it. He was by far the finest cadre member there for my cycle and we voted him as such.
Thanks will DVR.
Great documentary. Wish they had more episodes.
Sad news.
I thought I would let you know that Tim Hetherington, one of the directors of this excellent documentary, was killed by mortar fire in Libya today.
I have not seen this news on FR, but I was on the student paper at NC State, and also friends with, a photojournalist (Chris Hondros) who was gravely wounded in the attack as well.
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/04/20/libya.journalists/