Customer Reviews

Shadow Company DVD special edition

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a review of the DVD.

Shadow Company is a compelling film about men for hire who go into very
dangerous places in the world to act as security agents for companies;
to fight for governments; or whoever hires them. They are apolitical
and are seemingly very good at what they do. The film takes no sides,
doesn't pull any punches, shows us just how dangerous and bloody
fighting in todays troubled hot spots is.

Some graphic footage of burning bodies may be disturbing but it did
happen. There are about 20,000 mercenaries in Iraq at present. Others
are in African countries where there is civil war. Some are in
Afghanistan; or any place that is dangerous and there is need for
men-with-guns; i.e. security agents.

Film-makers Nick Bicanic and Jason Bourque were successful in getting
the complete cooperation and trust of the mercenaries, called private
security contractors, and through interviews and following along, we
have a look at their day. Two of them, (Slavko Itic & Corbus Claassens)
are articulate and matter-of-fact about the way things are in their
jobs. The most horrific details are recounted with no histrionics. It
is just the way it is. The extras are a great watch too. One long
interview with Claassens recounts a hilarious story about a blow up
doll. It's odd and a little scary. If the the guy in their company was
just kidding, it would be one thing. But it sounded like he actually
had conversations and 'fights' with his 'wife.' Yes, folks, he married
his 'doll.' I won't spoil the rest of the story by further comment, but
it is seriously strange - and very funny.

The commentary by Nick and his partner, Jason, gives some more insight
into what they did and why they picked certain parts and places to film
. And how a lot of the film is shot in natural light and why.

All in all I am so glad I had a 'headsup' on this film. Interesting
subject which needs to be explored. Interesting people I for one would
never have known about. Thought provoking. I rated it 10/10.

Shadow Company is an extremely well-made documentry film, which tells of the roles of these contract soldiers who are fighting along side our military Iraq and Sierra Leone. I had heard stories of contract soldiers, or mercenaries, but had no idea how important a role they played until this film. Nick Bicanic and all those involved in putting together this wonderful account, should be praised for their efforts in putting the truth of what is going on over there out, which is a far cry from what the media wants us to see. It's something every American should watch, as well as being shown in the schools. The interviews from some of the journalists, contract workers, and even Stephen J. Cannell, a Hollywood Producer, well known to American TV, are very informative. An added treat to the film is the voice-over reading of "letters to home" of one of the members of Shadow Company, James, by Scottish actor Gerard Butler, who adds a real touch of humanity and heart to the film. This is one documentry that holds your interest and doesn't waiver or let you down. I hightly recommend this DVD to every American who supports, or not, the efforts of our fighting men in the Middle East, with praises for these brave and wonderful non-Military contract soldiers, who are helping so wonderfully in the overall effort there.

Tense L Smith - Niceville, Florida

First I must say that I am in the film as an interview subject but I encourage anyone who wants to understand how warfare is shifting from the citizen soldier to the hired gun to watch this film.

Kudos to Nick and Jason on their first film and the professional look and feel of the project.

The documentary ties together the links between mercenaries, contractors and soldier and goes inside the minds and feelings of men who choose this way of life. And maybe more importantly, inside the hearts of people who are affected by this violent profession.

After Fahrenheit 9/11 and "When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts" I feared the political documentary genre was forever lost in liberal bias. Shadow Company restores this genre to its rightful place of respectability.

Far too often documentary film makers shape their films to fit their predetermined conclusions and present only the footage that backs up their premise. Shadow Company takes a fair and balanced approach that few filmmakers, or news outlets for that matter, have the courage and integrity to take.

Shadow Company is an extremely insightful, educational, and entertaining look at a remarkable and very controversial event in contemporary politics and modern warfare. Anyone hoping to have a well informed conversation about the war in Iraq needs to see this film. Conservatives and liberals alike will call it one of their favorite films of the year.

Is the journalism biased? Yup. Don't put Nick Bicanic down for journalist of the decade or anything, but he did an excellent job of following the members of merce... oh, sorry, we're not supposed to used the pejorative "mercenary" anymore. We're supposed to say Private Military Company. The people he interviewed come across very candidly and Bicanic really doesn't pull any punches when discussing an industry that is still in its adolescence. Based on the information presented in this film, it will be extremely interesting to see where the industry goes from here. It was very informative, cleverly done, and definitely keeps your attention. Might be a little dry for non-military or history afficionados, but if you're not into either of those, you probably aren't watching this movie anyway.

Shadow Company is balanced, informative, compelling, and entertaining.

In light of recent changes to US law (which place contractors under the Uniform Code of Military Justice) I look forward to a sequel in a few years.

Every time I watch a documentary these days I can feel myself anticipating the moment when I really get the point the film makers are trying to Convince me of. It's like when I'm driving and I get that first little bit of road rage and suddenly I can feel myself looking for more reasons to get angrier and angrier. A lot of film makers play to your emotions, anger and fear being the best ones in my opinion, and I know I often get hooked in and by the end of the documentary I definitely have an opinion that was formed by the presentation of the info. It has made me biased.

SHADOW COMPANY is different. The info is presented in a way that plays to a person's intellect, not to their emotions. They carefully examine the information and allow you to make a decision for yourself.

The quality of the interviews is incredible. They are honest, heartfelt and true, not directed by the film makers to make a point. Having read some of Robert Pelton's books I can appreciate his knowledge and really enjoyed hearing his opinion.

The directing and editing is amazing. Early on I got a feeling of the vision that went into the creation of this film and felt how it carried through right through to the credits.

Overall this was a very well made film and I think that everyone should see it and recommend it to their friends. I really hope to see more from Purpose Films in the future.

As a contractor in the security industry I voraciously read and watch all the material I can get on the industry. I ordered the dvd. Well I have watched the film and all the special features and all I can say is when is shadow company 2 coming out. Thank you Mr Bicanic for presenting a balanced view of the industry. At long last someone does not want to portray us as a bunch of violence addicted dolts.

For anybody in or interested in the industry and for everbody interested in Iraq and Afghanistan Watch this film, you will learn more from this than 500 hours of the news! and unlike all the others no politics! a brilliantly made film

One of the most overt downsides to this otherwise enlightening and informative documentary is the lack of historical context provided, in terms of both "mercenaries" as well as the history of the activities of PMCs existing before Operation Iraqi Freedom. Historical examples are provided but are very general in nature, especially regarding the conditions surrounding their activities. The precedent set forth by Executive Outcomes in regards to potential future utilization of similar PMCs, as well as the potential political/military fallout would have been useful to know. I personally would recommend watching the History Channels documentary called "Soldiers For Hire" in order to have some measure of understanding of the history and global politics surrounding the activities of PMCs to date. Cobus Claasens and P.W. Singer are featured in that documentary as well.

It is fair to say that proper utilization of PMCs is limited to employment of a PMC by a nation-state or body politic, with the regulation, controls and oversight that result from the nature of this kind of employment, vs employment by a private entity where these regulatory elements are questionable if even present.

The strength of this documentary is the inclusion of the anecdotes and opinions of the contractors themselves. This inclusion is important because it balances out the somewhat negative views many of the journalists have of PMCs, due in no small part to an inherent lack of understanding of the culture and operational environment inherent within the historically successful PMCs such as EO. People fear PMCs because they do not understand the way they work and associate the negative stereotypes perpetrated by media smear campaigns, like the ones against EO, with the PMCs of today. Sensationalist journalism in regards to PMCs and "mercenaries" in general are an example of this.

The documentary is highly informative and worth viewing, and does provide an important insight into PMCs in a way that is available to the general public.

This is an outstanding DVD on the current trend of PMCs. Unlike Jeremy Scahill's very anti-PMC book "Blackwater" and Al Venter's very pro-PMC book "War Dog" (which were both great reading), this video showed the pros AND cons of modern mercenary organizations.

I enjoyed the fact the producers provided information without displaying their own personal views (biases), much like Robert Young Pelton's book "Licensed to Kill." True professional journalism. I hope these guys cover more hot topics. Licensed to Kill: Hired Guns in the War on Terror