Generation Kill [DVD] [2008]

This 7 part series is excellent. The producers of "the Wire" and "on the corner" are really on a roll. If you want a truer picture of events in Iraq other than the political polemic and media propaganda then this is the one to watch. The novel which it is based on is well worth reading too as it is more detailed and somewhat more descriptive.

Like the 'wire' the series producers/writers assume the audience has an intelligent and inquisitive mind which wishes to be engaged fully. This is not your usual Hollywood fodder.

This series manages to give us a view of events from the perspective of the grunts on the ground and it doesn't really hold back on language, explicit detail or events. Like the wire - you get the realistic use of language, its like you are overhearing the conversation and it takes a little while to tune into the lingo.

Miraculously the series manages to walk the tightrope of balance very well, giving the views and perspective from the grunts and commanders to the iraqi civilians and more. The wider political perspective is justly criticised and it is blatantly obvious that there is no plan at all for restoring the political and authoritative void left in the country. No one comes out of this smelling of roses and questionable decisions and actions are taken. The differing viewpoints are depicted fairly, cock ups are shown to be what they are and the result of them and of course there are some plainly absurd orders from above. It shows the real war on the ground and not the PS3 war depicted on the news casts of low collateral damage. This is a very thought provoking series which gains momentum as it progresses. The series also has a good dose of the black wry humour reminiscent of Spike Milligan's war memoirs. Highly recommended.

Generation Kill is the spiritual brother to the Wire. Both are uncompromising adult dramas that present the facts with no bias. Where as a miniseries like band of brothers uses every technical trick to make war look almost hyper real, all that technical wizardry is eschewed in favour of a more documentary style. There are no voice-overs, no rousing military music, and no flashbacks.

Indeed the short lived series "Over There" which was a laudable attempt at bringing the realities of Iraq into your living room is shown up here as relying on dramatic clichés that are little more than storytelling tricks. In Generation Kill, if it happens, it happens in real time, and you may miss it- a sombre example being the mutilated remains of a little girl in episode 2 which are half seen as the convoy roars by.

The series is set around a US Marine Recon patrol in the first month or so of the Iraq war. Much of it is through the eyes of an embedded war reporter (based on Evan Wright- the author of the book on which this series is based). If you are looking for an action packed series then this is not the series for you. One the realities of war is the endless travelling along with the fight against boredom being far more relentless than the fight against the enemy. Indeed action is relatively scarce but when things do kick off the engrained training of the marines is shown to stop any panic and help the men through the chaos.

Indeed much of it could almost be described as the first military road movie with the dialogue often happening in the cramped confines of a Humvee rolling in convoy down endless roads and through featureless desert. The dialogue feels and is delivered in a totally convincing manner, although there is one marine playing himself the rest are actors (one of the main roles going to "Ziggy" from series 2 of the Wire) and the whole series has an air of authenticity.

If there was one word of warning, it's that I'm not sure what the series is trying to say. Band of brother's had survival to the end of the war as the goal but at the time of filming the US were still in Iraq so that wasn't an option, even the Wire wrapped up plots and cases but Generation Kill sort of drifts along. If it's just meant to be a record of what it's like being a marine in the Iraq war it does this admirably, but in terms of plot there isn't really one and while it's true that life has no narrative arc it does help when watching a drama.

With that said, this is gritty, vibrant, intelligent drama. It is classic HBO, treating the viewer as an intelligent adult and once again delivering a quality piece that you should be enthralled by. At the end of an episode you can almost taste the sand in the back of your throat.

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I watched this shortly before seeing 'Hurt Locker' and have to say there is no comparison. In my opinion 'Hurt Locker' was overated and had a storyline that never really went anywhere. This on the other hand was fantastic and much more interesting viewing.

"Generation Kill" tells the story of a Reporter (Evan Wright) who spent 2 months with US Marines of First Recon Battalion during the Iraq invasion. He puts his own life on the line to tell this story first hand and give an accurate perception of each Marine's personality and the near-death events that took place. Even one of the Marines acts out his own part in this series.

The attention to detail is awesome and I strongly recommend watching this, if you want a real eye-opening insight into what went on within Iraq.