Redacted (2007):
Modern snuff disgusts
De Palma disposes talent
For outlandish farce
(I'll be seeing The Hurt Locker later tonight. Expect to see an unabridged review sometime soon.)
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Haiku Review: Redacted
Redacted (2007):
Modern snuff disgusts
De Palma disposes talent
For outlandish farce
(I'll be seeing The Hurt Locker later tonight. Expect to see an unabridged review sometime soon.)
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8 comments:
one of the worst movies i've ever seen in my life, irregardless of subject matter.
i just came across your blog and can't find a search function... did you ever review generation kill (the miniseries not the book)
Agreed. I probably would have shut it off if I wasn't reviewing it. Nevermind the ridiculously unprofessional portrayal of soldiers (where the are the NCOs/officers?), the film is just a mess from every standpoint.
I haven't seen Generation Kill yet. It's on my Netflix queue. I want to see it but I might have war movie fatigue. I watched Redacted and Home of the Brave back to back. It was pretty taxing.
I can imagine I didn't want to watch any movies for a year after seeing Redacted. It's so damn clumsy and phony on every level. I can't believe De Palma was saying it was going to end the war.
At the heart of all this dissonance between depictions of the military on film is what has to be for me a dangerous furthering and alienation between civilian and soldier. They've been so separated into two distinct classes that few who haven't served are able to grasp the issues as complex. Conversely culture can't.
I think Gen Kill will really blow you away, other than perhaps the depiction of officers which at times strikes one as utterly feasible but acted over the top. Of course what happened on that show is that three members of the unit depicted were on set at all times and one even plays himself. But the best thing about it to me, which some recoiled at, was its depiction of the grim humor people in any extreme human endeavor uses to get by. It's really funny in a EMT or soldier dialogue kinda way.
Keep writing man, put all your experiences into some overall context, who knows what you can do with it someday. There are few who can take raw experience and write about it well.
I also suggest dropping all other movies and watch Gen Kill. I was so friggen lucky to have my (Mess Kit Repair) team attached to the Marines right at the end of the "Battle of Fallujah". The Marine Enlisted and NCOs are very high speed... Compared to the Reg Army and Nat Guard officers I was with...the Marines were much better...but that's off track. I only saw a few minor tech errors in Gen Kill. Watch it ASAP.
Now, I heard they're making a movie about Fallujah and Harrison Ford is going to play me.
(just kidding, he's too old.)
Drive on...
"But the best thing about it to me, which some recoiled at, was its depiction of the grim humor people in any extreme human endeavor uses to get by."
Right on Anonymous. Evan Wright said he wanted the audience to be uncomfortable with what they saw. I sure was the first time around - the black humor, the inept officers.
Many lines from the film stand out, but one I seem to refer to alot is that when they went to war America went to the mall. I really think its true, sad to say. I write about all sorts of things on my Facebook page but the miliatry stuff is NEVER commented upon, which is strange since we are a military family. Of the younger generation only my son joined the service. Tho I must acknowledge it, I just don't understand the disconnect.
~P~
I did like Platoon but only because a guy I worked with told me the story several years before the movie because he was there. Basic story accurate.
Maybe you should write one Alex. You could do no worse. Yes I know that would be hard.
Alex, your Haiku idea for reviews is great. I always read the whole review, but the haiku lead sets the tone and is just good ol' fun.
Thought you might find this interesting:
http://www.bagnewsnotes.com/2009/07/chris-hondros-on-the-hurt-locker.html
It's a review of Hurt Locker by Chris Hondros, a photographer for Getty who has been in and out of Iraq a dozen times or so.
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