54 of 54 people found the following review helpful:
Brutal, Relentless, and Authentic
As an Iraq veteran I was skeptical about watching this at first, thinking that it would be a "Hollywoodized" version of the war. Then a buddy of mine told me it was by far one of the greatest shows he's ever seen, so I gave it a go. Halfway through the first episode I was awestruck. Like the title of my review states, this show is brutal, relentless, and above all...
3 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
generation kill
This was a long way down from the wire. It became too long, boring and repetitive. It did reflect the stupidity of the Iraq war. Mildly entertaining if snappy jargon is your thing. Gags are over used..such as the commander calling himself "godfather" in the third person. Egos running wild.
As an Iraq veteran I was skeptical about watching this at first, thinking that it would be a "Hollywoodized" version of the war. Then a buddy of mine told me it was by far one of the greatest shows he's ever seen, so I gave it a go. Halfway through the first episode I was awestruck. Like the title of my review states, this show is brutal, relentless, and above all AUTHENTIC. Though I was with the Army, our job was very similar to these Marines in that we rode around in Humvees searching for the bad guys.
Anyone who has served in Iraq in a combat role will relate to these Marines all-too-easily. Well talk the same, have the same frustrations with the chain-of-command and understanding our mission some days (though thankfully my unit did not have anyone like "Captain America"), and deal with the same issues regarding supplies, lack of sleep, and fighting an enemy who the day previously may have been begging you for food.
Some viewers may be turned off by the extreme vulgarity and profanity, but fact is that is the way most "grunts" talk. And I think every Platoon or Squad in theater has its own "CPL Pearson." Fact of the matter is, none of us are saints and war does bring out mankind at both its best and its worst. "Generation Kill" shows both sides to the Marines in the rawest sense. One thing I like is that it does not attempt to take a political stance one way or the other on the war. Some may view the series as anti-war, given the way some of the Marines question their mission and why they are there. But again that is another reality of this war.
I never thought I would ever want to watch a movie or series about Iraq, however this is by far one of the best series I have ever seen, period! For anyone who is a veteran, knows a veteran, or just wants to know what the war over in Iraq is really like, "Generation Kill" is a must see!
SFC James Mace, U.S. Army
OIF III, 2004-2005
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This HBO series is unbelievable. It captured the true meaning of being in the military. The political internal battle is captured with great affects. The series reflects the bond soldiers build with each other that no civilian can EVER experience. This is way we bond for a lifetime and fight for our country. This is the military and a warrior in action on every level.
The writers, producers and actors did an outstanding performance in capturing the truth.
Michael Basedow
CW2, USA (Ret)
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When I first heard about Generation Kill, I expected it to simply be a glamorised version of the Iraq War where it shows everything working smoothly. What I didn't expect was a gritty and true story of the 1st Recon Marines during the first wave of the American invasion of Iraq. It didn't hold back, and honestly I would have hated it if they did. I later found out that this was based on the book written by journalist Evan Wright who followed this company during the initial invasion. I haven't read the book, but from the other stuff I've read I'm lead to believe it keeps true to the novel.
The show focuses around the 1st Recon Marines company as a part of the initial invasion of Iraq that eventually overthrew Sadaam Hussein. It shows the true struggles that the marines went through during this invasion as they struggled with supply shortages and conditions. They are joined by Rolling Stones reporter Evan Wright (Book Author) who's there to see what really goes on in the Marine Corps. It's not about Wright or is it even about one particular Marine, it's rather a show about the entire company and their particular personalities.
This is the more interesting and disturbing nature of the show. A lot of the soldiers displayed appear to have some real mental problems when it comes to their enthusiasm to kill anything in sight, or just their general views of the Iraqi people. It touches upon the civilian killings and how some order were actually made by the higher ups to kill any Iraqi whether they had weapons displayed or not. On one hand I would say it's wrong to have people with such mental problems i.e. a bit too enthusiastic to kill. On the other hand, if you didn't have these particular individuals then would we even have an army capable enough to fight such a war.
Another aspect of the show, aside from the disturbing images or the general crudeness of it all is the irreverent humour displayed. It's not intentional and certainly isn't set up to be hysterical, it simply comes across as that as within the conversations of some of these men, like any chat with friends etc. you always get the odd unintentional classic line. This gives the entire show a well rounded feel and is something to be experienced by everyone. I applaud those who are over in Iraq and Afghanistan as, unfortunately due to my ignorance before this show I didn't know things were so tough.
It's an overall great show and another classic creation by HBO. Be warned, however, as it is very graphic in relation to violence and if you're easily offended by strong or racist language then I would advise you stay away.
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AWESOME!!!!!! I CAN SAY BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT. THIS IS THE MOST ACCURATE SERIES OF IRAQ I'VE EVER SEEN. THERE EVERYDAY PROBLEMS ARE STILL FELT TODAY. I HAVE JUST RETURNED HOME AND HEARD ABOUT THIS SHOW FROM A FRIEND. NOW 16 OF MY FRIENDS SEE WHAT WE WENT THREW DRIVING CONVOYS UP AND DOWN IRAQ. MY HEART FELL WHEN I SAW HOW THESE MEN JOKED,SANG,EAT,BITCHED AND HAD EACH OTHERS BACKS IT BROUGHT BACK MEMORIES. GOD BLESS AMERICA AND ALL HER VETS. THANK YOU FOR SHAREING YOUR STORY WITH US.
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This series is an accurate and engrossing depiction of combat in Iraq. The Marines are presented realistically, as neither heroes nor villains, but men doing their jobs. There are stoic idealists like Sgt. Colbert and borderline psychotics like Cpt. America, and everything in between. This is just like any military unit, or any group of people for that matter. Instead of idealizing war, Generation Kill simply gives viewers a glimpse of what it is really like. And by the same token, the series does not condemn warfare, as many documentaries and films are so tempted to do lately.
War is frustrating for the individual soldier. Not just the Iraq War, but any war. Generation Kill does an excellent job of capturing this frustration. The Sergeant Major's obsession with the grooming standard is a perfect example of how military units often lose track of what their priorities should be. But in the Sergeant Major's defense, standards are set for a reason. And if you stop enforcing some, others will usually follow. In combat, small standards and procedures often determine whether people live or die.
On a more technical note, the acting and writing in Generation Kill were very well done. Realistically portraying a soldier or marine is probably one of the most difficult roles for an actor. There are so many subtle nuances of being a soldier or marine, that without actually being one, it is hard to understand them. Generation Kill did a great job of training the actors to look and sound believable.
I was in Iraq for 27 months, in 2005 and in 2007/2008, and I can attest that this series is about as accurate as you can get in a film. I am in the Army, but I worked pretty extensively with Marines during both of my tours, so I have a pretty decent knowledge of how they work. In the end, whether you are Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force or any other armed service member, the Iraq experience is for the most part universal. At different times you feel a wide range of emotions, from disappointment and despair, to elation and nostalgia. And Generation Kill does a great job of bringing those feelings to the viewer in a realistic and respectful way.
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I honestly bought this because I love Alexander Skarsgard in True Blood. I am not normally attracted to stories that revolve around war as the subject matter. I could not have been more surprised by my reaction to this series. I have watched it three times and know I will watch again many, many more times. I have so much respect and awe for the men and women that put themselves on the line in the military. This series makes me feel honored to have just a glimpse into what that looks and feels like. It only increases my admiration of their courage and selflessness. I love how Evan Wright made the story so realistic and relatable. I found myself caring for these men and wanting to know more. I can't turn my mind off for thinking about them and what they, and countless other military personal, went through and continue to experience. For me, this series was very emotional, funny, gritty, thought provoking, and human. One of the best things I have ever watched in my entire life. Thank you Alexander Skarsgard for making me interested enough to take a leap of faith and order the DVD. I though the entire cast did a wonderful job, but Alexander as Colbert was just exquisite. He said more with his eyes than many actors do with their entire body. He was a pleasure to watch, especially in his interactions with Stark Sands and James Ranscone. All three actors certainly did their real life counterparts proud.
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I watched this originally on HBO and was once again blown away by their ability to make a quality product. Jarring, thought provoking and touching this is a series to not be missed.
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I am an active duty Soldier and have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. If you want to see the truth and "experience" the reality we all face, watch this series. There is none of the normal Hollywood left wing/right wing garbage anywhere in this series. It has no agenda except to show America the raw truth. The attention to detail in this series is unmatched. Down to having grid coordinates written on the inside of the Humvee windshields on the Vehicle Commander's (front passenger) side. Which is something we all do. This is a 7 part series and it took me over two weeks to finish it. There were several times I had to just stop watching. That's not insulting it, that just shows how real it is. It shows the boredom, humor, horror and absolute heartbreak of combat. It pulls no punches. There is no shortage of regrettable civilian casualties, which sadly, is so often the case when facing an enemy with no uniform. It goes to great lengths to show the all too common incompetence of senior leaders who see combat tours and body bags as a means to quick promotions, and will take completely uncalculated risks to achieve that next rank, always at their men's expense. America, I can't say enough about this series. It's something everyone should see.
Michael A. Sampsell
SFC, USA
Cavalryman
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As a Marine who served with the 1st Marine Division during this time period and someone who knew and provided direct support for General "Mad Dog" Mattis and the 1st Recon Bn (and I'm familiar with a lot of the names I think I can speak with a little authority on this matter. For one, this show was slightly anti-war, and I would also say slightly anti-military. The Marines depicted in this series were a little over the top, although they do fit your very stereotypical Marines...the tough guy, the funny guy...the guy you wonder about(Rudy)...but they're usually not to this extreme.
One thing that really ticked me off was the portrayal of General Mattis. He is played as a stupid officer who doesn't care about anyone's well being, just the mission at hand. I have to say that General Mattis was one of the most intelligent men I have ever met. He cared about the Marines under his charge and would never take putting them in harms way lightly.
All in all a great show, just wish some of the portrayals of real individuals had been a little bit more spot on...
Cpl Travis O'Neill
1st Marine Division HQBN
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I read through the "1 Star Reviews" and was unimpressed, such individuals obviously lost the point of this series completely. After buying and watching the entire series three times, truth is; this series is great; its dead honest. It doesn't glamorize war, killing, or the lifestyle of the Marine 1st Reconnaissance Battalion. If you want a left or right wing slanted view of the war, look elsewhere. If you want a real look at the initial invasion of Iraq, the command level military bravado/arrogance, lack of communication, lack of proper planning/equipment, amazing officers and grunts, as well as the totally incompetent and incapable officers and grunts, and the real feel of the fog of war and how individual personalities "fit" into all of this, this is a great series to watch. I will also add that the "characters" represented here are in-part "played" by the real marines which this story is about. The screenplay was written by the embedded reporter of the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, and "lived" with "B-Company" for about 9 weeks. This embed Reporter was advised on the creation this series by the "real" same Marines whom this story is about. It is as accurate as you are going to get for a "mass media" related film, the only closer you can get, is actual footage.
Many complain about the "civilian killing" and "dedicating / urination" content, but to be honest; its accurate. Its no 5 Star hotel nor is it something to be overlooked if you want to be complete and honest. Truth is in war -especially this war, you can never be sure of whom your shooting at until your being shot at, so you do your best to make the right decisions; this series underlines that and the struggle to do this while following -at times, insane orders.
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