Review of Battle for Haditha (2007) by James K — 11 Jun 2010

Ouch, what a movie. I'm left a bit conflicted by this movie.

It was good in many respects but overall I didn't like it. I didn't dislike the performances, nor the quality of the film, nor the story, all of which are done with great foresight, style, directing and camera work. I dislike the fact that I'm reminded of the horror of war, the war in Iraq, a war in which should never have started in the first place.

The way this movie shows both sides to the story is a stroke of genius. The reckless abandon in which some people will go in order to get revenge is this movies greatest strength.

To help the 'Insurgents' and be victimised by the US Marines or to help the US Marines and be butchered by the Insurgents'.

Based on a true story, it makes me sick to the stomach to see that nothing has been learned since the Vietnam War or the Second World War for that matter. There are always innocent people that get caught up in war and although it is hard to see sometimes, every effort MUST be made to protect the innocent otherwise there is no point to war but 'chaos'.

By the end of this movie I hated everyone... that is why I'm left confused and conflicted. Apart from a few that didn't get killed or that lost their loved ones, I hated everyone. Perhaps that is what the director was trying to do. Show that no one is truly innocent in war...? I don't know what the message was, that was trying to be said, But the message I got was that the US Marines need to be put on a very short leash otherwise they are likely to shoot anyone that is of ethnic background regardless if they are in a foreign country, like Iraq.

"Bloody cowboys with itchy trigger fingers".

The best bit of the movie however, is at the start of the film where there are interviews with some of the Marines who are in the Iraqi War, and one soldier explains where Iraq is. Crude and very Un-politically-correct but funny all the same.