Latest Site News

[GRIMLY FIENDISH]

I've been watching this fantastic HBO mini-series on DVD.... Think "Band of Brothers" set in the chaos of the Iraq conflict, and you still dont even come close to describing this horrifyingly realistic, disturbing and extremely near-the-bone series......

This 7-part series basically looks at the Iraq war from the point of view of a company of Recon Marines and an embedded Journalist sent to cover the war, it's based on the book written by Evan Wright... Dont be expecting it to be "all action", much of the series involves the mundane, day to day lives of the marines, but the fact that it can all change in an instant with a well placed mortar or RPG attack is never really far from the viewers' mind, the threat of violence and horror is probably more palpable than the actual occurrences themselves. Very few shows or films can make you feel like you're in the "centre of the action", but "Generation Kill" manages this extremely well, the fact that it's co-written and produced by David Simon who created The Wire, just makes it all the better....

I wouldn't recommend this if you're of a sensitive disposition, many of the characters in this series are, on the surface, pretty unpleasant, racist, homophobic r*t****, but if they are ignorant, it's really how they were made by their own environments and the propaganda drummed into them by the Marine Corps.... There is humour in the show, but it's humour of an extremely dark, gallows nature.... Some of this you really aren't going to like and it's pretty hard going, but ultimately it's actually a rewarding view, as it does help you to understand the mindset, and even on some level sympathise with these guys because they were lied to and fukked over by their superiors and the politicians as well.... The series is INCREDIBLY critical of the incompetence, mismanagement and the fact that these guys were flung into a war without proper supplies or equipment and expected to just "make do"....

A truly mindblowing show which really makes you think about the Iraq war in a way that news reports just dont quite manage to do.... I'd recommend reading Wright's amazing book as well..... Very much of the "anti-soundbite" shool......