Best depiction of American Soldiers ever made!

Rating: 10/10 (20 January 2003)

**** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ****
Overall this is a great film. A lot of realness lends to it as well. My husband is an Army Gulf War vet. Not long after his return, there was talk of mobilizing to Somalia. I remember quite clearly my husband coming home saying to me, `I can't believe they might send us over there! When I took my oath I said, I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies' and I did *not* say for peace keeping missions or for the United Nations.' My husband was not alone, many of the GIs felt that way. As I watched the film, I never expected for this to be addressed. Hollywood, being what it is, took me by surprise this time. The hooahs had a very familiar, as well as welcome, ring to my ears. The military, and their families, have their own culture. Separate from the civilian world. Civilians are a me' world, where the military is a we' world. A good example is the camaraderie, which was portrayed very well. No one should ever be left behind. You are not only dying for your country, but dying for your fellow men. I'm glad to see a film that shows how selfless they really are, how hard it really is, and how divided they really feel. There was a point, in the movie, where a woman had to be shot. It was either her or them. Today's liberal society tries, in vain, to make it look as though war should be avoided simply because of the deaths of innocent civilians. Yet, this film is the real truth. There are times where there is simply no choice.
Yes, I'd say this is probably the most realistic film on American military forces ever made. I'll forgive the director for the actors who played American soldiers, that are clearly not American (Ewan McGregor, Orlando Bloom, etc.). We all know there are other films out today that discriminate against Americans and won't allow them to portray foreign characters. Well, that's the difference between America and those nations, isn't it?

The only thing wrong with the film, if you can say its wrong, is the ongoing gore throughout. I'm divided on the issue. The 9/11 tower jumpers taught us that some things are better left unseen. However, if you don't see it, will you ever really understand how bad it really was? If we don't really know, then it stands to reason we'll forget, and soon. The memory of the horribleness of it all will be forever etched on the mind. That's art imitating life.
I would've liked to have seen more on the rescues, to include that of Mike Durant. However, time constraints would perhaps have forced a lot of cutting and the scenes that made it to print were absolutely necessary.
I give it a 10/10. I can find no valid fault with the movie. The political correctness was, thankfully, left out. Had it been there, I'd drop my vote down.
To all who contributed to the film: Great job!