Review of In the Valley of Elah (2007) by Nate H — 26 Dec 2009
A sobering tale of a father's search for his son who he's informed has gone AWOL as his unit comes State side from Iraq--odd, puzzling. An engrossing mystery, detective piece--that ends revealing what our soldiers are living in over there, and how the stark realities of a no-win, brutalizing environment have hardened, dehumanized--really mangled and sucked the life from these heroic young people.
A quiet, but devastating re-indictment of current policy--if not the conduct of the war, at least the wanton, cavalier mistreatment of these courageous defenders--the psychic impact of long deployments, re-deployments, etc. Seems we've have ground the Army into dust.
A vivid look at military life, culture, "family," off duty time, etc. Honest, harsh, but not grisly. Its heart beats for EVERY son and daughter serving, and for every parent, spouse, brother, sister waiting, praying at home.
Elah is rugged at points. A dismembered body is discovered and photographed during the investigation, but it is not graphic or grisly--brief and not dwelled on--just what you need to know to get on with the investigation.
Actually, the EMOTIONAL landscape is the more rugged one. After a very long, complicated sifting and pursuing, and many miscues, we discover the desiccated remains of real men and real feeling--the living, breathing, but half deadened hearts of our returning troops--and see what war has exacted from them and their lives. Sobering, quiet--but horrific in its own way.
It is worth the journey.
This review of In the Valley of Elah (2007) was written by Nate H on 26 Dec 2009.
In the Valley of Elah has generally received positive reviews.
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