Retrograde

As "Retrograde" (2022 release; 96 min) opens, we are at "Kabul Airport, August 2021", and the Afghan authorities have trouble keeping a large crowd under control. We then go to "8 Months Earlier" to Camp Shorab, in rural Afghanistan. The US Commander of Special Forces emphasizes that "We're in this together". We then are introduced to an Afghan Commander named Sadat, who is one of the top guys in the Afghan military... At this point we are 10 min into the movie.

Couple of comments: this is the latest film from well-respected documentarian Matthew Heineman ("Cartel Land", "The First Wave"). Here is looks back at the 8 months leading to the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan, creating a human tragedy along the way. I was expecting that this would focus on the messy and catastrophic last few weeks (not unlike, say, that other recent documentary "Escape From Kabul"). While "Retrograde" touches on it both at the very beginning and in the last 15 min., the movie 's primary focus is in fact on how the Afghan military is anxiously preparing for the withdrawal of US troops. We all know thow that went down. But the seemingly unfettered access granted to the film makers allow for a fascinating and nuanced view, as we follow Sadat and watch the increasingly desperate atmosphere. In that sense, "Retrograde" is the perfect companion documentary to "Escape From Kabul", with very little overlap and great insight on what really happened in those final months. I think you may be surprised at what you will find...

"Retrograde" premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in early September to immediate critical acclaim. There is good reason why it currently is rated 93% certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie started streaming on Hulu a few days ago, where I caught it. If you have any interest in geo-political events or particularly in Afghanistan, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

As Retrograde became a hit in Hollywood, it became a hit list in Afghanistan," Thomas Kasza, a former Green Beret who is the foundation's executive director, told a Congressional hearing in January.

The director and producer were repeatedly warned and asked not to show the face of an Afghan National man and soldier due to the dangers of doxing him and being found out by the Taliban. They didn't listen, and that Afghan National was discovered, tortured, and killed by the Taliban as a result of this film.

I think we as a community need to hold them accountable and downvote this film into oblivion. The people that made this film and allowed his face to be shown, even after repeated warnings not to, should be held accountable.

This documentary covers the final months of the Afghan war. It starts by showing US Green Berets working with the Afghan Army and one of its rising star Generals. It offers great insight into the teamwork of the US Afghan coalition in the war. The film takes a turn when the US decides to pull out of the conflict. We see the rushed retrograde of the US Military and its effect on the moral and logistics of the Afghan Army. The rest of the film follows General Sadat as he tries to keep a brave face and keep his men fighting. Unfortunately, renewed Taliban attacks after the Americans leave are too much for the nascent democracy to handle. The humanitarian disaster that follows is heartbreakingly examined in this film. A solid documentary.

Because they didn't hide the identities of the Afghans they interviewed, those people are on the Taliban's target list and Justin B. Has already been murdered.

They were warned by U. S. military personnel not to do closeup shots of these people. Now they don't remember being warned. They are still defending their decision to openly show these people on camera, without a scintilla of remorse. They need to spend their own money to get those people out.

Because they didn't hide the identities of the Afghans they interviewed, those people are on the Taliban's target list and Justin B. Has already been murdered.

They were warned by U. S. military personnel not to do closeup shots of these people. Now they don't remember being warned. They are still defending their decision to openly show these people on camera, without a scintilla of remorse. They need to spend their own money to get those people out.

These heroes' faces were not blurred by the producers. And so, the Taliban is using this as an actual Hit List, and executing these abandoned individuals. SAD!

The film takes a turn when the US decides to pull out of the conflict. We see the rushed retrograde of the US Military and its effect on the moral and logistics of the Afghan Army. The rest of the film follows General Sadat as he tries to keep a brave face and keep his men fighting. Unfortunately, renewed Taliban attacks after the Americans leave are too much for the nascent democracy to handle. The humanitarian disaster that follows is heartbreakingly EXACERBATED by this film. SHAME on you all, editors, producers, and distributors!