True war story told from a soldier

Rating: 9/10 (29 May 2015)

This is the flawless movie on what a war is like from a soldier's perspective. Unlike philosophers sitting in a couch criticizing on justice and peace, the soldiers have to be both mentally and physically tough in order to survive and triumph in the battlefield. This movie successfully portraits such a soldier who triumph over enemies and overcome the mental scar the war carved on him. If you want a war movie that discusses philosophical issues about what is justice and righteousness, then this is not a movie you'll enjoy. But if you want to see the bare truth of war, the physical and mental wreckage brought to everyone (Iraqi people, especially children, American soldiers and their family), and really think beneath the scenes, then this is a very good movie.
*** Spoilers ***
There was one scene where an Iraqi mom gave her child a grenade to throw it to American soldiers and was killed by Chris. This is a very brave scene that is a big target for criticism. but it is just real battlefield story that cannot be taken away simply because of the over-simplified belief that children are innocent. There was also another scene with the same inconvenient reality where a seemingly-respectable man was shot dead and protesters carried his body and marched towards retreating army vehicles. Plain real stories reincarnated on screen.
Unlike another movies that try to instill some view about war to the audience, this movie presents the bare reality and leaves the reader thinking about the complexity of war.