What war does to us

Rating: Null/10 (25 June 2020)

Spike Lee's newest film is an exploration of war, missed chances and modern day politics. In it a group of Vietnam War veterans return to Vietnam to look for a treasure they buried there during the war. On their journey we see flashbacks of their war experiences and explore their many, many regrets, losses and hindrances. Plus talk about what it means to be black back then as well as now.
Spike Lee is a powerhouse behind the camera. This film is superbly shot. The story is told marvelously. Every scene felt necessary, every scene build on top of another. Likewise, the actors gave it their all and I liked the variance in the characters they portrayed. Each had scars from the war, but they all had dealt and were dealing with them differently.
That being said, this film is political. It's really, really, really political. To some, that's one of its strengths. Lee does not pull any punches. He tells you what he thinks, as straight as he can. To some that means a lot. To me, a Nordic white man in my early 30s, it doesn't mean quite as much. Although I don't mind it. I didn't find it distracting nor did I find it unwarranted. It simply wasn't one of the cornerstones of the film.
That being said, I can imagine that to Americans this film will have an impact. But even if you're from outside the US, the film has a lot to offer if you're looking to understand America as it is today and how it came to be like that. Especially when it comes to its black population.
I can recommend the film. I can definitely recommend it.