Man, I just can't stress this enough. War is a very strange thing. The people who fight in them are strange people. I hope everyone sees this movie. If you have a family member in combat right now, if you know someone who's come back, if you just want to get an idea of what it's like, watch this movie.
I don't know if it's a "near-perfect movie" like some critics have called it, but it definitely showcased the mindset of your average soldier. The second-guessing, the depression, the constant state of paranoia, fantasies of fratricide... Oh, yeah, everyone has those.
Jeremy Renner was kind of a surprise for me. I started watching the movie thinking "This guy gets a Best Actor nomination for what? Acting like a normal person?" Then I remembered, no one over there is normal. Some people crack, some people lash out, some people withdraw, and some just have a "fuck it, we're all gonna die anyway" approach. Those last ones are generally more cheerful to be around, as long as you realize they're going to get you killed eventually.
Better Off Ted fans, keep your eyes open for Lem as one of the soldiers in the suicide vest scene!
So, yeah, overall, a pretty good movie. I'll never watch it again, but then, I'd never watch most of the war genre. I had to buy it because Netflix failed me once more, but it's not a total waste since I'll be mailing it to my cousin.
...and I am STILL waiting for said package. I DIDN'T KNOW LEM WAS IN IT!!!???
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