Review of Hyena Road (2015) by John B — 21 Oct 2015

Interesting storyline with a multi-angled representation of the complexity involved in Canada's military role in Afghanistan. There are some standard war movie tropes included ... though well done ones .

.. and some off key characters (a Canadian general who sounds very American ... possibly because he is played by Clark Johnson, native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), and a parallel love story that feels bolted on (besides, movie characters should know that love affairs in combat zones never end well).

Aside from this, the film works and works well. It has intercut "hand held" footage of the civilians and soldiers that pulls the viewer into the scenes. The storyline twists, but not to the point that viewers should feel deceived.

There is humour, some of it "boy humour" that rings true to the context of the primarily male military environment. The sniper scenes - reminiscent of an American movie about snipers you may have scene - still evoke the tension of the trigger-pulling decision.

There are some graphic scenes of violence and carnage that viewers will find disturbing - this is not a John Wayne movie where wounded soldiers cringe and quietly drop, but nor is it gratuitous Tarantino blood splatter; it has the feel of being as horrible as it likely was.