Back from Iraq: The US Soldier Speaks

Produced by people more interested in getting the real story than making the story glamorous, 'Back from Iraq' is a straightforward documentary about what is happening in Iraq.

I saw the film at a special screening in Hollywood. I was glued to the screen. These were real heroes. People who aren't proud or excited by what they went through. They're scarred. They are who we talk about when we say "the cost of war..." These are the same stories you'd hear if you met these men face to face.

The production values aren't great. But if you prefer flash to substance, go watch Fox News. Also, watch the credits. The final interview of the movie is a heart-breaker.

If you like films like 'Bowling for Columbine', 'Outfoxed' or 'Inconvenient Truth', you'll find 'Back from Iraq' just as honest and compelling.

This micro-budget "documentary" is really just a series of unsubstantiated claims by a handful of anti-war Iraq veterans. There are no reenactments, few photos (even when intriguing photos are being described, they're not shown) and a stunning lack of other sources -- military or otherwise -- to confirm or deny the stories we hear.

That doesn't make "Back From Iraq: The U.S. Soldier Speaks" an awful film, but it is certainly dry and largely uncompelling. The soldiers, who all deserve our respect, bring up some valid points, but they too often sound like cookie-cutter activists in the tradition of Michael Moore ("It was for oil!"). Moreover, too many of the arguments the film makes could be applied against any war, not just Operation Iraqi Freedom; that is, the brutality of battle, civilian casualties, heartache of those back home, etc.

"Back From Iraq" is a disappointment for those with an interest in this conflict.