Student Film Reviews

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1. Ximena Parra 02.28.11 / 1pm

   I watched this documentary with my boyfriend, a former marine and an Iraq veteran. Watching this film with him, allowed him to explain to me how different or how similar the life of these army soldiers was compared to his life while working in Iraq. With the knowledge I acquired from my boyfriend and with the knowledge gained after watching this film, I, like you Charles, feel this film allows non-military audiences to truly understand the emotions these soldiers, who are put on the front line of war, go through while performing their jobs and how these can affect their own lives and of many others, how these emotions can affect the outcome of a war. I have learned the purpose of documentaries is “to record the nuances of the human condition that are not easily convey by other means” (Williams & Hammond, p. 73) such as the news and Restrepo sure was a film that conveyed how terrifying it can be to lose a close friend and how terrifying it can be to stand for one’s country. Even though Starr and I share the feeling this movie should be watched and admired by many, I have to disagree with you Charles in what you say about people who want to join the military. The most compelling documentary will not be able to show, tell, make you understand how your life will be if you join the armed forces. One will never be informed enough until your life’s experiences teach you what it is to be a soldier and what it represent s in everyone’s lives.

   : Contemporary American Cinema by Linda Williams & Michael Hammond (2006).
2. Charles Starr 03.01.11 / 4pm

   Ximena, thank you for your comment. I too feel no one can ever be informed enough. That said this film will show you a side that the glorified recruitment propaganda will not. Thus giving you a better understanding of what your experience may or may not be.

   We live and grow by our experiences, and no one person will ever have the same outcome as another, even under the exact same circumstances.
3. Kris Henry 03.13.11 / 8am

   I couldn’t believe that the worlds most power military with thousands of fighter jets, helicopters, tanks, not to mention the huge inventory of guns would let this group live in such harsh conditions. Although it’s difficult to understand the nuances of war which I am sure Xemina’s boyfriend has a much better understanding than myself. Why would they not dump supplies to the guys. Give them helicopters and thermal imaging. Further, why didn’t they take the high ground? Needless to say Restrepo did an exe lent job at providing the viewer with the frustrations shared by the soldiers. The plot was put in a way that kept it interesting, and the characters kept the situation real.
4. William Barton 03.14.11 / 9am

   Restrepo did a great job at telling the story of the soldiers lives without getting political. The filmmakers said that they wanted to keep politics out of the film and focus purely on the lives of the soldiers and they did a great job. The thing I was most impressed with when watching the film was the camera man’s willingness to be in the middle of the action at all times. The filmmakers were saying that they became integrated with the unit and the soldiers were more willing to open up to the camera because the filmmakers would go on missions with the soldiers and be right by there side. That willingness to get into the middle of a battle is what earned the soldiers respect and is what made this film a great one.
5. Shane Turner 03.16.11 / 6pm

   I watched Restrepro over winter break and thought it was an excellent eye opening account of what our soldiers are experiencing overseas. The two “Vanity Fair” journalists that shot the film allowed American citizens to see what really is going on with the war without getting too political. Sometimes Hollywood can make war look appealing and makes you think you can be a hero. Restrepo puts things into perspective and shows you that war is anything but appealing. I agree with you Charles in that the film showed the true emotional states of soldiers and all that they have to go through: the deaths of their friends, deaths of their enemies, and civilians. Restroom showed me that war is something that no one truly wants to be a part of, rather a call of duty that citizens just like you and I have to carry out in order to instill the safety of the lives of the American people.
6. Jacob Harrold 03.18.11 / 11am

   I stumbled across Restrepo one night on Netflix in the instant watch section, and I thought it would be interesting to see. I was absolutely blown away by the realism that this documentary presents. The very beginning sets the tone when they hit the IED on a routine trip. The doc showed how the men coped with being deployed for such a long time, and how much work is put in when the fighting has stopped. Those men on screen had the most resolve and heart I have ever seen, as they were constantly dodging gunfire while trying to dig out a post on the mountainside. Overall, Restrepo will open the eyes of any civilian who has criticized the military or the individual soldier.
7. Pierce Hannah 03.18.11 / 4pm

   “Restrepo” has often been compared to the Academy Award Winning “Hurt Locker”. However, all scenes, deaths, violence, and people are real. It does a very good job of revealing the Korengal Valley and exposing the hierarchy system of the elders. The soldiers have a hard time communicating and agreeing with the locals. The movie is filled with action, tension, and depression. It is one of the most eye-opening films any American can watch. It leaves a lasting impression on you as you finish the film. It is a “must-see” film that leaves you with a different perspective on situations involved in the Iraq war.
8. Elizabeth Enea 03.18.11 / 5pm

   I was very interested in this film review because I have seen Restrepo and have close friends in the military. (I actually know someone who was shot in the Korengal Valley.) Restrepo is a dead on depiction of the thoughts and feelings that many soldiers feel while at war. It is almost hard to watch men my age live through situations such as trying to rush a hill to make an outpost. The film really shows how well trained military men are to not react normally to death. I thought it was amazing how these men watched they’re friend get killed and were still able to function in a war environment.
9. Angie Byrd 03.18.11 / 7pm

   I viewed the film Restrepo with my husband. Although documentaries are not usually my preferred form of media, Restrepo was definitely worth stepping outside my usual comfort zone. Charles Starr did an excellent job of reviewing the film. He really detailed the expectations of the film and showed a real appreciation for the work of Sebastian Junger and Time Hethrington, the journalists from “Vanity Fair.” While discussing the content of the film, Starr reveals how much he learned about the situation in the Korengal Valley and the life of the American soldiers stationed there. This is the kind of film that informs without preaching politics. It is real. To watch the young men struggle with horrible conditions, life and death, and their own emotions is an awakening for the viewer no matter what side of the political spectrum they consider their own.
10. Andrew Atieh 03.18.11 / 8pm

    I came across this documentary in New Releases on netflix and couldn’t believe how good it was. The film was incredible because of how real and accurate it was depicting the war in Afghanistan and what the soldiers go through while spending time overseas. You go on a journey in the Korengal Valley which was named the most dangerous place in Afghanistan with soldiers facing fire fights on a daily basis. You don’t even have to know someone in the military for this film to move you. It is the realist documentary about our current war to date. You really get to see how extreme the effects of war can be on an ex soldiers mind.
11. Daniel Montague 03.18.11 / 9pm

    I was initially interested in this film for two reasons: primarily because my older brother is a veteran of the war in Iraq (therefore I have always been curious as to what it is actually like to be in a modern combat zone), and because I felt it shed new light upon the “ups and downs” of the typical American soldier/sailor/marine’s life while overseas. According to my brother this documentary is the closest representation of his experience, especially the documentary’s depiction of the psychological stress that these men endure in uncertain circumstances. One thing I felt was very touching throughout the film was how the platoon members would morn their comrades slain by the Afghani insurgents like a brother, showing raw human emotion that cannot be replicated anywhere else.
12. Carla Reyes 10.14.11 / 2pm

    Restrepo is one of my favorite documentaries. It follows the lives of several soldiers and depicts what they do and how they cope with the daily struggles of war. It’s very special because it truthfully reveals what these men have to live with, what they long and hope for. It definitely evoked an emotional response from me when one of the soldiers dies during the film. It shows how, although they are devastated and truly heartbroken, they must move on quickly because that is what is expected in war. They have to be numb to the pain in order to progress through hideous warfare and maintain their sanity.
13. McKenzie Hollowell 10.14.11 / 10pm

    I watched the documentary Restrepo over a year ago. I came across it while “channel surfing” and decided to watch it simply because “nothing else it on”. The following hours lead me on a whirlwind of emotion and enlightenment. When you think about war, you think of bombs, bullets and strong men defeating the “bad guys”. When you think of soldiers, you think of strong, manly men stopping evil with honor. Restrepo shows the real side of war, the things you don’t see and, for many, don’t want to. It also shows the side that you never imagined. Like you, I was comforted and proud when I saw how the soldiers take the villagers and their customs into account. It showed me that war isn’t all bombs and bullets. The interview with the men gave me insight into the coping and recovery process of being in a war is like. The most poignant part of the film for me was the scene of the shoulders being ambushed in the rocky hills. It gave me perspective of what real war is like that I would have never been privy to otherwise. Watching the soldier completely break down after being informed his sergeant was killed, while still in danger, was heart-wrenching. Overall, amazing movie and excellent review.
14. Tyler Rowland 03.23.12 / 2pm

    This film was great for the way it allowed us to feel the emotions that the soldiers go through. Although it is just one story of thousands, it really helps to express the what soldiers value in their everyday life. With death a possibility at any time, I am surprised that these guys can keep any sanity. This film shows how the human psyche is easily changed and manipulated through experiences that are not seen first hand by everybody. This film also exposes the efforts of war in a region such as this as being very insignificant to whatever the reason for occupying a foreign land. Through the course of the film, they lost lives, and it seems as if they did not have much success toward their objective in the valley.
15. Herschel Weintraub 10.17.12 / 8pm

    I saw this movie the other month online and was really moved. Due to the fact that I served in the military, I found that I was able to easily relate to the film and how each person felt. I am really happy that someone made this type of movie because it is hard to explain ones military experience. Overall the filming of the film had some powerful footage. I liked film’s documentary style and found that it was easy to keep up with. I am really proud of these men that put their life on the line to ensure our safety.

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