Generation Kill [Blu-ray]

I saw the miniseries when it first came out on HBO and was fascinated by it. Some things you watch and put away, but some you watch over and over again... this one has its hooks in me, and I'm not even sure I could tell you why.

I've read a fair chunk of the commentary on the novel and the series, and there seem to be a lot of people rather agitated in one way or another. Some people think that there is no way that a battalion could have that many appalling officers. Some people say that this series is "the way it was." Many former military personnel seem at pains to point out that this is war from the lowest echelon point of view, with the implication that the grunts complained and moaned about things they didn't understand.

Well, I freely admit that I have never served in any military capacity, and for some that might disqualify me from making any comment on the verisimilitude of what this series portrays. If so, fair enough - but I would point out that even with this limitation firmly in my own mind, I hear the ring of truth when I watch this series. And if viewers are shocked by the seeming idiocy of certain command personnel, I encourage them to think about their own workplaces, and their own management.

I like this series because it makes no apologies, does not try to explain, or to frame events from within any ideology. These people are who they say they are. Judge them as you wish.

I can't stop watching this series. It is so easy to become attached to the characters as ordinary men as they embark on a journey that is anything but ordinary.

You get a sense of multiple aspects of Marine life- the good, the bad, the uncomfortable, the unfortunate, the funny, the painful, the luck, the skill, the emotional, the emotionless, subordination, incompetence, heroics, failures, just to name a few...

The fact that it is a true story, based on real people, a lot of the dialogue coming right from what was transcribed by the Rolling Stone writer embedded with them just makes it even better.

The acting is wonderful (Alexander Skarsgard does a a great job, and some of the marines actually play themselves or another one of their fellow marines) and this series may change your opinion (for better or worse) about Marines and the armed forces in general.

This came on HBO and I thought, well it's not necessarily my thing but why not? It gives an insight from the soldiers point of view into the US invasion to Iraq in 2003. I thought it was more realistic portrayal compared to others I have seen in this Genre. The casting was excellent, it blended actors with actual soldiers who took part in the invasion. I have to say, it totally sucked me right in. I watched the remainder of the episodes AND then I bought the series. Time well spent!!