Thursday, December 2, 2010
RESTREPO is a feature-length documentary that chronicles the deployment of a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley. The movie focuses on a remote 15-man outpost, "Restrepo," named after a platoon medic who was killed in action. It was considered one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. military. This is an entirely experiential film: the cameras never leave the valley; there are no interviews with generals or diplomats. The only goal is to make viewers feel as if they have just been through a 90-minute deployment. This is war, full stop. The conclusions are up to you.
I watched it the other night on National Geographic Channel. Highly recommended. It's refreshingly non-political. It's a must see just to get the smallest taste of what these guys are doing for us out there. It's available at Netlfix.
Here's a short, "The Sal Giunta Story," by the makers of the film. Giunta got his medal for actions taken during events that are covered in the Restrepo film:
I saw this with my husband on NatGeo. What a gut wrenching movie. Beautifully done. Watching them lose men and seeing the shock of loss on their faces is nothing like the movies. Such young men, such unbelievable bravery. I was left with the feeling that the only thing we can do for this country is leave it and bomb it to the stone age as a parting gift. And then quarantine the entire muslim world to die under the weight of its self imposed ignorance and hatreds.