lovepade

This is a documentary. As such it tries to show the reality of camp armadillo in the Afghan Helmand province. Armadillo is the most forward of the allied camps, and as such the one with the most fighting, and the least civilian work. Taleban territory is 800 meter from the camp - and peace is not something that the locals dare hope for.

Some people seam to think this movie is an argument against the war. I beg to differ. This movie simply shows us what war sometimes is: Young men, without a clue about why, leaving their tearladen family to fight in a country far away. AT great personal cost. Sometimes the greatest. Maybe - something good will come out of it, even though it can seem hopeless.

The movie shows us the different coping strategies the soldiers uses. The sense of brotherhood, the porn, the adrenalin, the dark sarcastic humor. It shows us how the soldiers doesn't always have time to ask before shooting. And it shows us how different the soldiers are.

It's a sober movie. Filmed at the front line, with images never before seen from the actual war in Afgahnistan. Beautiful camera work, sublime editing makes this a very good documentary.

EDIT: What I miss - and why I don't give it a 10: I am actually a bit surprised by what the soldiers do not say. In these circumstances I would expect a much more racist tone/humor. But there is hardly any of that. The few soldiers I have met in real life, have all had very complicated/nuanced/many faceted feelings towards the local culture: Admiration and disgust at the same time. I get the feeling that this movie have actually edited the worst lingo out of the movie. I think it would serve everyone good to know, that if a returned soldiers refer to someone as a camel-f***er - this is not always because that same soldier cant feel a deep respect for said camel-******* culture, customs, language and persona.

Also: A soldier 'snitches', and talks to his relatives back home, about a certain incident. Since everybody is talking about brotherhood in this movie, I would suspect that having a "snitch" in the brotherhood, has led to some interesting frustrations, misgivings and suspicions. This is not shown, which is disappointing.

But still: fantastic camera-work, and very sober war movie. 8/10

This film is excellent for three reasons: The acting - which is brilliant, especially Kingsly (and Connelly is mastercastet for her role), the story, which is void of the usual predictable clichés, and finally the cinematography and script. I list the cinematography and the script together because they really work as an integrated whole. The pictures could be criticized for being too perfect, but I see them as almost symbolic paintings, commenting on the story from another world. The dialogue is actually kept to a minimum. There are so many subtle nuances here.

I give this movie a nine out of ten, because it is 1) well made, 2) actually has a message/meaning/depth or what ever you'd prefer to call it, and 3) is a totally surprising thriller at the same time.

Maybe the film disserves a ten, but I somehow feel that this is only really good the first time you watch it. This is because of the time taken to portray the characters in here -which might get a little boring the second or third time you'd see it.

There a at least three ways to review this movie: The moralist one (0/10); the 'usual' one focusing on tension, plot, charachter etc. (5/10) and then the film buffs fantasy 10/10.

The movie has many factual faults. It is unrealistic etc. and yawn yawn. The point of this movie is that its a tribute to especially Sergio Leone and Martial Arts movies.

however this is not all. The picture composation and colors, the scenematography is absulotely stunning.

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