just watched this on DVD...not, bad, but not great. Looked like it was trying to be Blackhawk Down crossed with Independence Day.
Spoilers Below
I try very hard to watch "war" movies with an open mind, but so many times I cannot help but pick out all the wrongdoings and cliches that ruin these types of movies.
1. The Marines had horrbile and I mean HORRIBLE movement to contact and CQB tactics. They were too bunched together (what ever happened to 5 meters distance during dismounted patrols) and talking...I mean, seriously? Fucking TALKING while they were on patrol?! So I wasn't surpsied (even with it being predictable) that they got ambushed...not surprised at all. It got better as the movie went, but this really bugged me...ALOT!
2. Why were the Marines wearing Desert Camo in CONUS? I didn't get that at all considering the Marines have the desert and woodland uniforms, woodland being for CONUS.
3. In the final battle, when and why were they given orders to fix bayonets? And somehow I don't believe an Air Froce TSGT would be issued a bayonet to begin with. (But I will say Michelle Rodriguez irritated me slightly less than all her others roles...maybe she's getting better as an actress)
4. I was pretty pissed when the SSGT was giving his little speech at the FOB about the civilians fighting and all his Marines that had already died, but completely forgot about the Soldiers that fought along side him and died with/for him as well. Another reason Marines irritate me.
5. The "speeches" throughout the movie were very cliche as was the cheery LTs death and letter to his wife.
6. SSGT held on to that greande at the gas station for quite a long time. He would have blown up if he held that puppy that long in real life after pulling the pin.
7. Always referring to the foward operating base as the F O B. Well call it the "FOB" like "HOB" as an actual word...no one says F O B. I kept thinking of the Thunderbirds when they would reply over the radio with F A B. That was really stupid.
I'm sure there is more, but can't think of them at the moment. Overall, I enjoyed it, but didn't think it was as great as others here seem to. While the combat scenes were pretty realistic, not much else about the actual combat was.
Like I said, it is very hard for me to look at war movies with an open mind, I try but when they can't even get basic things right it drives me nuts. Overall, I liked it, hell will probably watch it again, but not because it was a great war or military movie, but because it was mindless entertainment...that's it.
Spoilers Below
I try very hard to watch "war" movies with an open mind, but so many times I cannot help but pick out all the wrongdoings and cliches that ruin these types of movies.
1. The Marines had horrbile and I mean HORRIBLE movement to contact and CQB tactics. They were too bunched together (what ever happened to 5 meters distance during dismounted patrols) and talking...I mean, seriously? Fucking TALKING while they were on patrol?! So I wasn't surpsied (even with it being predictable) that they got ambushed...not surprised at all. It got better as the movie went, but this really bugged me...ALOT!
2. Why were the Marines wearing Desert Camo in CONUS? I didn't get that at all considering the Marines have the desert and woodland uniforms, woodland being for CONUS.
3. In the final battle, when and why were they given orders to fix bayonets? And somehow I don't believe an Air Froce TSGT would be issued a bayonet to begin with. (But I will say Michelle Rodriguez irritated me slightly less than all her others roles...maybe she's getting better as an actress)
4. I was pretty pissed when the SSGT was giving his little speech at the FOB about the civilians fighting and all his Marines that had already died, but completely forgot about the Soldiers that fought along side him and died with/for him as well. Another reason Marines irritate me.
5. The "speeches" throughout the movie were very cliche as was the cheery LTs death and letter to his wife.
6. SSGT held on to that greande at the gas station for quite a long time. He would have blown up if he held that puppy that long in real life after pulling the pin.
7. Always referring to the foward operating base as the F O B. Well call it the "FOB" like "HOB" as an actual word...no one says F O B. I kept thinking of the Thunderbirds when they would reply over the radio with F A B. That was really stupid.
I'm sure there is more, but can't think of them at the moment. Overall, I enjoyed it, but didn't think it was as great as others here seem to. While the combat scenes were pretty realistic, not much else about the actual combat was.
Like I said, it is very hard for me to look at war movies with an open mind, I try but when they can't even get basic things right it drives me nuts. Overall, I liked it, hell will probably watch it again, but not because it was a great war or military movie, but because it was mindless entertainment...that's it.
This post was last modified: 07-09-2011, 10:51 PM by Sigokat.
Major K
"He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a Prince." George Graham Vest
"We are alone, absolutely alone on this chance planet: and, amid all the forms of life that surround us, not one, excepting the dog, has made an alliance with us." - Maurice Maeterlinck
I can't comment on the movie in question as I haven't seen it. But movies in general have a similar issue with medical stuff too. It seems that when the reality of what they are depicting gets in the way of how they think it should look, or how they want the story to go, reality always loses.
I've always wondered if some of the inaccuracies with military stuff is partly a security measure too. If you could learn all the details of how the military operates by watching Hollywood movies, that might not be the best thing. Might also be flat out ignorance, hard to say.
I've always wondered if some of the inaccuracies with military stuff is partly a security measure too. If you could learn all the details of how the military operates by watching Hollywood movies, that might not be the best thing. Might also be flat out ignorance, hard to say.
rjack, I think its more ignorance then an attempt to keep military operations secret. You can easily google FM 7-8 and learn basic infantry squad tactics like movement to contact drills. Nothing that was portrayed in this movie or any other inaccurate military movie shows secret or confidential tactics.
Oh and I thought of some other things that kind of irked me...again, sorry, but I have to rant about them and I refuse to post on IMDB.
1. A SSGT retiring? For a guy that was built up to be a bad ass squad leader in Iraq or Afghanistan why did he only make it to SSGT? And why after the 1SG signs his paperwork and tells him basically that he's done (even though I know this is not how it is done in real life, but is usually portrayed this way in movies), is he out training with the Marines?
I don't know which was worse...this movie having a SSGT retiring after 20 years or LOST having Martin Keamy attaining the rank of 1SG in the Marines after only having served 5 years.
Okay...I'm done ranting for now. Time to watch Tupac in Juice LOL
Oh and I thought of some other things that kind of irked me...again, sorry, but I have to rant about them and I refuse to post on IMDB.
1. A SSGT retiring? For a guy that was built up to be a bad ass squad leader in Iraq or Afghanistan why did he only make it to SSGT? And why after the 1SG signs his paperwork and tells him basically that he's done (even though I know this is not how it is done in real life, but is usually portrayed this way in movies), is he out training with the Marines?
I don't know which was worse...this movie having a SSGT retiring after 20 years or LOST having Martin Keamy attaining the rank of 1SG in the Marines after only having served 5 years.
Okay...I'm done ranting for now. Time to watch Tupac in Juice LOL
Major K
"He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a Prince." George Graham Vest
"We are alone, absolutely alone on this chance planet: and, amid all the forms of life that surround us, not one, excepting the dog, has made an alliance with us." - Maurice Maeterlinck