Review of Restrepo (2010) by Bill C — 12 Dec 2010

The only honest work of journalism to come out of Afghanistan. So well done that I had to keep reminding myself this is "not fiction" or reenactments. Sebastian Junger, Tim Hetherington embedded reporters creation for National Geographic raises the bar for wartime Journalism.

The movie starts with the men on leave prepping for there tour. When they land in this valley which is an extremely isolated border crossing used by insurgents to cross into Afghanistan. They explain that 70% of the ordinance used in the war is used in this small valley.

The beginning of their tour starts with mission into the small city. They are under fire from unseen forces on every mission. The captain continues to meet with village elders to negotiate for help building this road, but they keep complaining about a cow that the company shot and made into steaks and that they were killing the wrong people.

Judge for yourself, but the elders seem to be the same people supporting the insurgents crossing the border. The soldiers try to advance there control and build a base named "Restrepo" 800 Yards south into enemy controlled territory. After several months and hundred of fire fights they finally have a new defensible base.

The are sent on operation "Rock avalanche" where the troops are sent in on Helo's sever miles further South. The progression starts with tight close-up interviews with all of the soldiers explaining there remembrance of the incidences and then the actual (real and very graphic) footage. The troops and reporters are under heavy fire several times and the sergeant leading the reporters is hit by a round and killed and another soldiers is shot and then hit by a mortar round and survives and is interviewed about the action.

Philosophically the troops are sold and selling the "Hearts and Minds" campaign and providing security for building a road to connect two isolated border town on the Afgani-Pakistan border, but as time progresses the troops realize they are the tip of the spear of a campaign as a lighting rod for the extremist ire.