La bataille de Bassora

this is an important war movie. the best war movie i've seen since 'three kings' not much shooting or setpiece explosive action mind you. movie critics are uneasy at its stark portrayal of dysfunctional army ways and its psychopathic sergeant whilst we are still in the midst of that same war.

it seems disloyal somehow. to our boys in the field to lay bare the prosaic anatomy of torture so powerfully. but i think this is a film all true soldiers will love.

they say the first casualty of war is truth and they're not far wrong. because war is horrendous.

it's just a damn shame that after all the classic Vietnam war movies that there will be another crop of classic iraq war movies. (eg gunner palace)

A story based on fact, really well depicted. Fundamentally, the film looks at the way humans behave (savagely) when seemingly normal people are put into Highly abnormal situations and the lengths to which humans will go to fit in. If you have a strong stomach for the most demeaning kind of violence portrayed on film then this is a must watch movie. An excellent film, moving and provoking. At the time of writing this review, we had already watched this movie 6 times since it´s release in 2007. Would we watch it again, absolutely.

This isn't a war film per se, but rather a film about the conflict between loyalty and morality. The question is where do you draw the line between loyalty to the regiment and the morality of your actions? This film is powerful stuff but I can't help but feel that this film is somehow unrepresentative of the British Army in Iraq. I have to say that it has left a rather foul taste in my mouth, but this may well be down to my refusal to think about the examples of brutality in custody that have taken place rather than the film's depiction of those crimes. So in regards to the effectiveness of the film at portraying its subject the film is most effective. The acting is strong throughout as is the cinematography and the sparse soundtrack. I won't watch it again as I have nothing further to gain from it. I think, in retrospect that it is still too recent an event to gain any further wisdom from. Although it is not 'based on true events' there have been instances of abuse that have culminated in criminal cases. But would we gain anything from watching a feature film about the abuses at Abu Grahib only three years after the events?

This film angered me so much, I've written a review on it even given the age of it now.

It appears after reading other reviews that are clearly written by people with hatred for the British Army or by people who have no idea what war is like, or even what life in the army is like. With people honestly saying that this is an accurate portrayal of what happens in war and that it paints an honest picture of what went on in Iraq. That's either seriously misguided or biased thinking or just downright slanderous lies.

As somebody who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan, this film does nothing but insult me and every young man and woman who has served and those who are still serving. It paints the army to be a bunch of young, sadistic, idiotic thugs, it couldn't be any more wrong if it tried.

Utterly disgusting and s***s all over the efforts in Iraq of both the living and the deceased . The director should be ashamed of himself for this steaming turd.

Although Mark of Cain isn't a bad movie, and most of the acting is in fact pretty good, it seems to be lacking a clear purpose. For a movie that aims to make a political statement, it seems to pull its punches at the most crucial moments. As a movie that wants to tell a story about a modern war, although realistic and often gritty, it is not nearly as powerful as Platoon or as intricate as Jarhead. In fact, the power of the story seems to peter out after the first two-thirds of the movie. For example, the technique of starting with a crucial scene, and then flashing back to this scene as the story unfolds, becomes less powerful. Eventually, the viewer pretty well knows what to expect. Watch Mark of Cain, expect some poignant scenes, but don't expect any new insights in that fiasco known as Iraq and don't expect to see war's truly horrific face.