DVD review: Generation Kill

WAR IS HELL: Generation Kill is a well crafted military drama.

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Based on the adventures of Rolling Stone magazine journalist Evan Wright, who was embedded with US marines in Iraq, Generation Kill is an excellent mini-series.

The seven-part HBO series follows Wright on his journey as a journalist embedded with the First Recon Battalion during the first three weeks of the 2003 US invasion of Iraq.

Unlike most Hollywood efforts, Generation Kill allows the viewer to follow the trials and tribulations of ordinary soldiers as they fight both the Iraqis and their own command structure.

Wright manages to capture the complex interplay and confusion regarding the policy which set the Bush administration on the path to war, and the growing realisation among soldiers that the war would evolve into a protracted insurgency well before Washington did.

Make no mistake, this is not a gung-ho military series. Instead, it chronicles the problems which the US Marines face as the tool of policy under George Bush's ill-fated and under-resourced war on terrorism.

Combat scenes are scarce, diologue is gripping and intense, and characters are well thought out and avoid cliches. What else would you expect from David Simon and Ed Burns, two of the guys behind The Wire - one of the greatest TV shows of all time?

Generation Kill is a well crafted military drama which will appeal to serious students of military history, and those who after a good drama which happens to be set in Iraq.

Extras: Interviews with members of the 1st Recon Marines, a making-of documentary, a commentary and deleted scenes.

* What did you think of Generation Kill? Post your comments below.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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HC   #4   10:46 pm Nov 11 2009

Superb series, as one would expect from the writers of "The Wire". I was curious to see is was filmed entirely in South Africa and Namibia. Some great landscapes.

Kathryn   #3   02:08 pm Nov 11 2009

I really enjoyed it - I started watching it thinking that it was going to be another "Boy's Thing" with loud explosions and gore but was pleasantly surprised! I loved the depth of the characters and the honest look at what the military is like.

Matthew   #2   01:41 pm Nov 11 2009

It's an excellent series, well-made, compelling, most enjoyable. And I say this as someone who is not interested at all in war films, and who only watched the series because I'm a fan of The Wire, and was interested in the new series from Simon and Burns. I'm guessing it's not going to air on television here (otherwise I suspect they would have held back on the DVD release), and I think that is a shame.

It's also a shame that the series is not being released here on Blu-Ray. I bought the BD version from Amazon (it's region-free), and it just looks and sounds great. So that's worth trying to pick up if you can play Blu-Ray.

(And the book is also excellent, and worth seeking out.)

Disgruntled of Wellington   #1   11:19 am Nov 11 2009

Best TV show ever. Based on a fantastic book of the same name by Evan Wright.

Watch the show. Read the book.