What does it mean to lead men in war? What does it mean to come home? Hell and Back Again is a cinematically revolutionary film that asks and answers these questions with a power and intimacy no previous film about the conflict in Afghanistan has been able to achieve. It is a masterpiece in the cinema of war. "Hell and Back Again" is a film that was inexplicably nominated for an Oscar. I say inexplicably not because of the subject matter but because the film just seemed to be lacking and didn't seem finished. Yet, oddly, it came close to winning the Oscar for the best documentary feature of the year.<br/><br/>The film follows a marine, Nathan Harris, from his tour of duty in Afghanistan to his life at home following his severe injury in action. It goes back and forth again and again to both locations and the transitions back and forth are a bit jarring. So what did I think? Well, some of the film is quite good–such as seeing the tension and hellish battle conditions the men go through. But it also feels like they just ran out of money and stopped making the film–with so much unanswered and Harris's fate very, very uncertain. The film just seems to stop…and is maddening to watch because of this. This is one of the most amazing documentaries I have ever seen. <br/><br/>The imagery is stunning, and the filming is pristine - especially considering the conditions - the camera and editing are high quality, and the shakiness is pretty subdued.<br/><br/>Most importantly, the stories are interesting and all too real. <br/><br/>The editing, which juxtaposes the return of the wounded Nathan Harris to America with the striking images of war is chilling. There is simply no other film which actually shows what it might be like to actually have PTSD. <br/><br/>The soldiers in this documentary are all too real, never joking with the camera while in combat, and coming close to death numerous times. <br/><br/>If you want proof, look closely, despite the presence of the camera, few soldiers ever look into it. This may have been a directorial call, but more than likely, it is because they are real soldiers, and one second looking at a camera - especially in such hostile territory - could cost you your life.<br/><br/>This movie is something special, and I doubt we will see anything like it again. <br/><br/>Honestly - props to this filmmaker Dennis - because he has some serious guts/grit. Dennis refuses to push a political agenda down viewers' throats. But the message of his film – a breathlessly paced look at the realities of war – is clear: War and its aftermath are indeed hell.
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354 weeks ago