Bravo Two Zero

As a soldier and something of a war movie buff, it's refreshing to see a good story turned into a film that doesn't add the Hollywood effect of lack of realism. Bravo Two Zero tells the story of a Special Air Service patrol in Iraq during the Gulf War as realistically as possible, right down to the amount of gear they lug and what difficulties lie in tactical operations.

Having "Andy McNab" as a military advisor seems to have paid off in spades, as everything you see in the movie is how it really works, down to the textbook section attack they execute against the Iraqis.

If you haven't read the book, do so. Then read Chris Ryan's "The One That Got Away", which tells his side of the story. Then read Peter Ratcliffe's "Eye of the Storm" and Michael Asher's "The Real Bravo Two Zero" and decide how much of the tale you actually believe. Worth a look.

When I first heard that the BBC were making a film of Bravo Two Zero starring Sean Bean I got very excited and I am pleased to say I wasn't disappointed. The whole thing positively oozes authenticity with a great attention to detail. The combat sequences had me jumping out of my seat and yet they aren't overplayed.

Sean Bean is excellent. I mean he is superb. Admittedly, his performance lends a lot to Sharpe but it doesn't suffer for it. If there was an Oscar for being hard then he should get it.

I think the only real problem with the film was that of pacing. Not that there was much they could have done about it being based on a true story but it seemed to wind down a bit too gradually. That won't stop me buying it on video however.

To sum up: I'm going to have to read the book now.

Well from what was written before, I would like to say 2 things to start: #1. I hope all people in the Netherlands aren't as ignorant as the person who wrote a review on war. And number 2, if you are going to bash a person by name, get it right, it's McNab, not McNam. Also at IMDB people want to hear what you thought about the movie, not your political ideas!

I feel this movie showed a picture of what these men went through and the bonds they make being on an SAS team. In my opinion, there really aren't many other professions that earn my respect more than Special Forces of any military. These men go into situations and places they shouldn't be, full well knowing that there is a great chance they won't make it out. I feel this movie balanced that idea with the idea that these men also understand that they have to get on with life and deal with the profession they have chosen. Instead of spending the budget and trying to impress the audience with flashy special effects and the newest and neatest gadgets in film making, this film spent more time on what happened and on the characters.

Having not read the book yet, I cannot say if it followed the book, however after watching the film it has sparked my interest to get McNab's books and also Ryan's book on the same subject.

I did find myself rewinding and turning the DVD subtitles on more than once as they filmed the movie using the British slang and way of speaking and military jargon. While this may make it a little more difficult for anyone who didn't grow up on the streets of England, I feel this added quite a bit to the realism of the movie.

If you can get past the fact it does not have flashy effects to keep some of you interested and the slang, I suggest this movie for any war movie buff.

One more comment on something our friend from the Netherlands said, I don't recall McNab saying he has a license to kill at the end of the movie. I'm pretty sure it was just "I'm a soldier". Get your facts straight.

Particularly enjoyed seeing the military tactics and procedures used by a small patrol in carrying out their mission and saving their butts. These guys earned their medals. Interesting that women liked this movie more than men (per IMDB votes); Must be Sean Bean.

I first saw a documentary on the Discovery channel about the mission that is portrayed in this movie. I know a lot about the history of the Gulf War but I had never heard about this particular mission. I was completely fascinated as to what these soldiers went through and how they managed to deal with their incredible situation.

Then by pure coincidence, about a week later I stumbled across this movie on cable. The movie dramatized the mission slightly and gave it a very personal feeling, which is captured wonderfully by the actors portraying the soldiers. The movie gives a very real sense of the comradery, dedication, and professionalism that Special Forces troops exhibit. I would definitely recommend this movie if you have a fascination or appreciation for the military.