These men and women did it, and they're still doing it today. That is, put their lives on the line so that others may live in freedom; even those that disagree with them.It has been said that the more things change, the more they remain the same. During the American revolution there were those that were opposed to fighting for freedom and independence from England. Before and during the Civil War that same "no war is good - don't fight" attitude was espoused by many people who would have refused freedom to men and women living in chains in the south. Have we learned from our mistakes of the past? No; it's not any different now. That same attitude is given voice by some people today. Seemingly, they never stop to think that the freedom to openly share their opinion (without fear of being dragged from their home and shot in the street by death squads) was bought and paid for by the same men and women that they are disrespecting today.I can't imagine what it must be like for the family members of the men and women who died in Afghanistan to come here and read some of the totally insensitive comments that others have posted. God has already had mercy on those that gave their lives; they're safely home with Him. He will need to give even more mercy to those that have no respect for the priceless gift they have received. Greater love has no man, or woman, than to lay down their life for their friends. Yes, the word is friends. The bottom line is that there is no we and they; there is only us. It's time we started getting it right.I wish every theater, school, church and meeting place in America would show this film. It deserves to been seen. This is war up close, in your face and personal. These are real men and women, real lives and the real reasons why they are there - honestly and sensitively portrayed. I consider it to be nothing short of a masterpiece.Be aware that my next comment may be a spoiler, but I would like to share something about a part in the film when the soldiers are talking to a group of children. The children are telling them where the enemy has been, and perhaps where they stashed some weapons. While watching this I was aware that the wisdom of children often exceeds that of we so-called adults. These children KNEW who the enemy was, and it was not the Americans. The children were not afraid of the Americans, they were afraid of the Taliban - and they were doing what they could to help the soldiers. For me, that was a moment of absolute clarity. Is our being there serving a purpose? Just ask those children.

A comedy for the more savvy and the elites. Follow the dumbest people ever, the us military pawn who is unknowingly fighting an illegal war even though it's fact in order to catch a guy with kidney failure who somehow was responsible for 9/11 even though he said he didn't do it and America even made a fake video of admittance for the retards that was proved to be fake as well(spoiler, they dispose of bin laden (the supervillain we never heard of before 911) many years later without evidence and then pat obama on the back), meanwhile every seal team 6 member is systematically murdered and the war rages on without end in sight. It's a really good plot, I know! All they need is something, a plot twist... it was really for profit for war companies and military budget and then plot twist again 10 years later, they find trillions of rare earth material(not oil,plot twist!) Plot twist again, the terrorists already infiltrated the guberment!Follow this cameraman who is apparently in a propaganda Hollywood production trying to make connections with his son and showing us video of a real warzone....er wait, pictures of desert, more desert, some backdrops that make it look like desert, and a village that happens to have trees. I guess they added the son part for the REALLY gullible American. Learn the history of Americas longest war against goat farmers, strap yourself in for people crying about how sad they are about invading a 3rd world area with trillions of dollars and still getting their ass handed to them by opium farmers high as a kite. Learn about masters of illusion, hiding in caves 101, how to go from cia tim osman to international world sueprvillian in 9 easy steps.10/10, the satire, the acting, the plot....would have to fake a moon mission on live TV to compare!

This movie has been showing around the country in limited release for several months. Either it didn't show around here or I missed it, so I have been waiting for the BD, which arrived today. I have been following the movie on FB, etc, since I know the journalist/ producer Mike Boettcher, however slightly. That is, we attended the same high school (Ponca City, Oklahoma) at the same time, he two years my senior . Mike is an Emmy Award - winning journalist who works for ABC News.This film has some of the feel of Restrepo which was also filmed in Afghanistan. The first half of the film is about Mike and his son Carlos embedding together for a year- a father and son bonding to help repair their distant relationship which was due to Mike having been on assignment around the world and not able to spend enough time with his children. Carlos must learn quickly both how to survive and how to be a photojournalist. The second half occurs after Carlos returns home and Mike moves on to a mission into the Kunar Province to rout out a Taliban commander. Things don't go so well.This movie is a realistic accounting - it's actual footage- of war/ fighting in the Afghan countryside and also is a tribute to the soldiers who have fought and died. It's an easy recommend for me.(For the 10/11 Not Helpful votes, Bite Me!)

Before starting, the movie was more-so a documentary on the journalist than it was the soldiers. It seemed the soldiers were sidelined the whole time and more of a side story for the journalists. Unlike Restrepo, the movie was pitched from the journalist's (Mike and Carlos Boetcher) point of view and mainly from Mike's point of view as the father. It isn't until the last 15 minutes of the movie that they seem to care at all about the soldiers, finally having interviews with them on their combat actions and their opinions, which even then seemed more like a 30 second piece than the reason for the movie.The first major thing watching the movie to bug me, however, was that they felt the need to add a vast amount of sound effects. From added gun noises, to yelling, to bullet sounds, they would frequently place these added effects over the combat footage as if that combat (real combat) wasn't exciting enough. Being an Afghan War Veteran myself, I felt this was kind of a jab, to say that the soldier's actual stories and actual combat was not worthy of Hollywood. After also watching movies such as Restrepo, I feel this was completely unnecessary.Those things aside, the movie wasn't awful. I do feel it should have been more about the actual soldiers and the war rather than Mike. I found it rather ironic as well that with him taking so much of the movie to direct to himself and his son, and take away from the soldiers, that he later goes on to say that he was trying to tell their stories.Overall, for a civilian the movie will hopefully paint a slightly better picture on the war, and it was still done quite well. I just have my feelings on the side due to my past experiences.