I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Very well executed

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

This hits hard. Fortifies my belief in our young men and women in uniform. Doing what most won't. Regardless of political position this film shows a bit of the lifelong bonds built in the trenches that will last a lifetime. Bonds that hurt deep when they fall next to you. I hope more watch this, not only for those that are currently serving but those that return back home trying to cope with the losses and traumatizing moments. Those that have served and have known bonds like this understand and those that don't simply will never. Nothing brings people close that watching each others backs against death itself. I didn't talk about the film yes, i talked about how it impacted me inside. Doesn't glorify war. Nothing should. Worth a watch regardless of points of views of the "why".

I have seen a handful of documentaries around Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years and even if I hadn't, the news networks do a very good job of providing constant footage from the front lines. With this flow of information there is the risk that one gets used to it, that seeing soldiers in a firefight is perhaps not as astonishing as it was and that the stories of one group of soldiers versus another doesn't really stand out as something different or worth seeking out. Restrepo rises above that problem by virtue of how good the access is and how intense the fighting is in the specific part of Afghanistan they are in.The film doesn't seem to have an agenda that it pushes to the point where it drags the footage behind it in the way some narrator-led films can. There is a point (or points) that are almost impossible not to take away from watching it, but the film lets you get there on your own as you watch. The downside of this approach is that it does sit back and just watch – not adding structure or constant narration to fill in the details and hold our hand, even contributions after the fact are pretty limited. This wasn't a massive problem from my point of view but I can understand why some would feel it was. Generally though this "in it" feel works very well, producing a sense of intimacy which the nature of the guys really fosters. The footage is tremendous whether it be inside meetings with locals or in the middle to a firefight, it is technically impressive but also harrowing and engaging.It isn't the perfect film though, because it does feel sparse in a way that works for it and slightly against it. The viewer is allowed to see everything but without too much discussion or probing we are not really sure how these guys coped and what effect it had on them afterwards, so there is still that divide that understandably no amount of close footage can close. It is well worth seeing though for just how good the access is and how clear and simple their documenting of this place and this time is.

This is how the real war looks like. Not when you turn on the TV you see only propaganda. Kids sent to war asking themselves what the hell they are doing there. Kids loosing their friends. Kids that all they want to do is to come back home. Very poor locals asking themselves what the hell they have done the be dragged from their homes, interrogated, captured. The film is located at Korangal Valley, a dangerous spot surrounded by experienced and ghostly "talibans". A place where a bunch of youngsters try to survive and spend their days the best they can.This is raw war, no glory or patriotism. A must see. Co-director Tim Hetherington was killed covering the Libya war.

Restrepo (2010) *** 1/2 (out of 4) Filmmakers Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger spent time with a platoon of U.S. soldiers as they were placed on a tour in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan, which is considered one of the deadliest places you could go. Throughout the year the filmmakers were able to capture a wide range of events and emotions including the men losing friends, going into battles without the necessary tools and also having to deal with locals who many have families fighting with the Taliban. RESTREPO has a clear anti-war message that might rub some the wrong way but I think the majority of people, no matter what side of the debate they're on, should enjoy this documentary for a number of reasons but the biggest is the fact that it really gets you into a platoon and so close to the action and I'd say it does this more than any film before it. Yes, Hollywood has pumped out countless war pictures going with platoons on missions but this one here is real and the violence is real. I think some of the most dramatic scenes are of course the ones where the soldiers come under attack because it gives you a clear idea of the terror and confusion going on when someone is fired upon. There's one scene where a soldier is killed during a battle and just seeing what follows with his friends seeing him die is without a doubt very powerful. The most interesting footage comes during meetings between the soldiers and the actual people of this village, many of whom are upset with the death of their children, family or friends. In one of the strangest scenes, one Afghan man is upset because the soldiers killed his cow after it was caught up in one of their safety wires. RESTREPO is a must see simply because of the access the filmmakers had and of course the stories of the men who knowingly walk into dangerous and deadly battles each day.