We, the Marines

First, read the headline: this is a recruiting tool, for sure. This piece really seems like something the recruiters would play for the local High School auditorium full of kids and leave 20 minutes for questions. Or something they would show parents to give them an idea what their son or daughter might be going through in their next four years of their Marine Corps career.

As a documentary piece, this is a very fine program. The shots are fantastic, with a mix of traditional documentary style shots and drone footage. Kudos to the cinematographers and editors because they seem to have carried the majority of the weight in this program. It also makes me wonder if they used the Marine Corps combat camera units in their video team. I wouldn't be surprised if they did.

Gene Hackman is enthusiastic and seems very connected to the script. He delivers a very strong narration, and is heard laughing at times, as if he's remembering his own journey through Marine Corps recruit training.

A few things bugged me:

Very, VERY obvious ADR (dialogue replacement), as noted in another review.

Subtitle issues. A "Nine Line" is a call for fire / evacuation - I don't know what an "eye line" is. Also, anyone that has ever been in the Corps knows it is sacrilegious to call even a recruit a "soldier" (one of the obvious ADR mistakes - they must have taken the clip from an Army boot camp program).

There are also random voice overs from... people. Are they Marines? Are they defense contractors? Why wouldn't you identify them as to build context? These clips are used very sporadically throughout the film, and seemed to be filling in gaps where Hackman's narration left off.

Overall, this is a nice recruiting tool with a visual style that will really attract a younger audience. Old time Marines like myself can watch for some nostalgia. Anyone who is into historical documentaries will be disappointed.

A blatant, biased praise of the Marine Corps, a glorious 37min advertisement to one of the most effective fighting forces on earth (the rangers probably would have a word or two), with the cheesiest cliché song covers as an accompanying music to mortars and engines. Gene Hackman as the narrator does not help to get rid of the awkward cringe that the constant blind praise to the marines is causing sadly.

Wonder why did they leave out the post-service life and PTSD. Somehow the advertisement ends with flowers, crying people and a choir. Should've included some facts of the other side too. But hey, it's 'murica, who needs those, right?

I've been reading the reviews talking about this film being a cheap recruitment video. IT IS.

Gene Hackman is great, but in this movie he sounds more like a fanatic...

What about the music? Was theaf the guy who chose it

Waste of time

Let me state that I hugely respect the fighting forces of the US of A. Because of my interest in all regarding (historical) warfare I couldn't wait to see a documentary in Ultra HD 4K..although it is impressive to see I never felt I was getting more knowledge about the semper fi department. A nicely shot promotional video of the US Marines but nothing more. A disappointment if you are looking for inside information or a broader perspective of the history and current tasks of this versatile fighting force.

I served in the Marine Corps from 1969 to 1973. Yes, this documentary leaves out a lot, but hey, Top Gun was basically a recruiting movie for the Navy too folks. We did pushups on our knuckles on the grinder. We were choked and punched. We were screamed at, "motivated", showed how to save lives, and taught to be Marines. Did I like it? No, duh! I was also in the Navy for 4yrs and the National Guard for 2yrs. Now, at age 67, I can honestly say that I benefited greatly from my time in the Corps, and the leadership skills, the ability to encourage others, to think fast when the going gets a little rough, all have been of great use since I got out in 1973. I was, and will always be, a U.S. Marine.