Review of Hell and Back Again (2011) by Aaron A — 22 Feb 2012

Synopsis: U.S. Marine Sgt. Nathan Harris is wounded by Taliban machine-gun fire, then grapples with the stress of civilian life upon return in his home of North Carolina.

Some documentaries tend to present themselves in a up front manner, proclaiming loud and clear that they are non-fiction filmmaking. Often such presentation can kill the pictures' mystiqe and render the docu a dry portrait of it's subject. It is clear fairly early that Hell and Back Again does not want to go down such paths. The picture has a quite patience that other documentaries do not usually have; instead of showing it's audience something interesting then remarking on it somehow, this one never tries to tell you what to think. Hell And Back Again has a confidence that serves it really well.

The film contrasts the subjects life in the military with his life back home with a dibilitating injury he acquired in combat. At first one is not terribly sure why the soldier is having a difficult time adjusting to home (apart from the pain from his injured hip), as he seams relatively normal; he has a loving wife, is rather social, and even engages in sessions of Call of Duty. Slyly and delicately however, as we get to know more about the man, we uncover potential problems with the soldier's temperament and ability to cope with the future that lies ahead of him. It's all told relatively subtly, and is actually more foreboding of home problems than documenting current issues with the Sergeant's behavior.

Though it appears unremarkable at first, given some thought the picture unveils it's many subtle strengths.