Review of MURPH: The Protector (2013) by Brandon Vincent T — 28 Mar 2013

Went to see this film the Saturday after it came out in select theatres. There were about 10 of us in the matinee showing and one woman was not ashamed to sob through it. Being near Coronado, you never know who knows someone that gave the ultimate sacrifice. It was a great movie overall that connects the audience with LT Michael Murphy's story, who he was before he became a SEAL, what his family and childhood were like, what his friends from back home thought about him. What lead him from the law school path like his father, a Vietnam vet who heavily discouraged his decision to enter the military to wanting to be among the elite militarists. This movie felt like you were sitting down with his family and one by one hearing them describe their son, brother, nephew, friend. You will get emotional.

Awkward moments that diminish the film a bit--the way the director decided to insert clips of this other kid's story into the movie. We heard from the kid, we heard from the kid's mom...It felt like an ITT Tech commercial sprinkled in between this amazing story about Murphy. Of course they explain who this kid is in the end, but myself and a friend agreed, the kid didn't even need to be in the story although his connection to Murphy is a nice highlight of the legacy he'll be leaving on the world of education.

I'm so so so glad someone paid tribute to this man..hero. But the way it was filmed ...leaves me feeling like the director needs to work on his craft more in order to raise the filming and the messaging up to the level that these heroes deserve to be remembered. Writer/Director: if you're reading this please see the documentary First Position and thank you for making it your passion to make these types of movies.