War Porn

Rating: 4/10 (16 April 2011)

Being a fan of war movies and history, I remember watching this one when it came out and be impressed by the production,but feeling guilty about watching and liking it (because the of the biased script and the direction of the movie).The reason I'm commenting NOW is because I noticed, to my surprise, that this movie is used as a reference for a very good and accurate war movie and I want to make some points clear:
1.Where a movie like Platoon was accused of cramming in too many scattered historical events into one story, BHD manages to take one much more simple, recent and better documented event and be incredibly selective and subjectively focused in its depiction. Hence - war porn,we see the actual act in vivid detail,but are treated like retards regarding the why and the how. Nobody is interested in an elaborate script of a porn movie because it is assumed (and rightfully so)that nobody gives a toss.However this is war and history,not a sexual act.And the effect is the same, we get turned on.And whoever doesn't feel guilty about being turned on merely by human slaughter and misery should really start thinking about it. Aren't we supposed to learn something from movies and books instead of just be entertained?
2.I read that Ridley Scott said that he wasn't interested in politics at all when doing the movie.That may be convenient but it's an absurdity,at its best. Surely he must have realized that it would turn into a recruiting tool for the military, just like Top Gun (incidentally directed by his brother). He also must have realized that by not telling the whole story (trying, I mean) he distorts reality to a point where it doesn't become entertaining anymore, it becomes insulting.
3. The funniest and scariest part (just like in Top Gun) is that this is a story about elite forces, people that do this for a living, and yet SO many people identified with the characters. Most men couldn't even hold and shoot a Minimi light machine gun without probably killing their own mates in battle, due to stress and confusion. The friendly fire rate in Iraq and Afghanistan is nearing 40%, that says a lot about even the real training of ordinary troops and yet people in movie theaters eating popcorn or watching the DVD at home on a comfortable couch confuse reality with Call of Duty (VG)...if that doesn't scare the heck out of you, it should.
In conclusion, I would have liked to give a top mark to this one, because the production is really spectacular and it's a guilty pleasure, but thinking about it, it doesn't even deserve a 4/10 because of its sheer irresponsibility.