Rent Restrepo (2010)

A hard-hitting documentary showing US troops fighting in a remote area of Afghanistan in 2007 - Restrepo review by Philip in Paradiso

This is a documentary directed by British photojournalist Tim Hetherington, who was later killed while covering the war in Libya. It shows American troops in action in a very remote valley of Eastern Afghanistan in 2007, during the Western intervention in the country. The following text appears on screen at the start of the film: "In May 2007, the men of Second Platoon, Battle Company began a 15 month deployment in the Korengal Valley of eastern Afghanistan. It was considered one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. Military."

American troops and supplies were ferried into the isolated Combat Outpost (COP), called Korengal, by Chinook helicopters. The infantrymen, who belonged to the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, were under near-constant attack from Taliban fighters hiding in the mountains and villages near the outpost. At times, the fighting was very fierce and the US Army took casualties. The documentary shows all this in very realistic fashion: you come away feeling that you have a reasonably good idea of what the experience of Western soldiers can be, when fighting a counter-insurgency war in a far-away land.

The documentary is interesting on many levels. First of all, it offers a unique insight into the local conditions that prevailed in Afghanistan at the time. Second, it shows the life of soldiers on deployment as it really is, without trying to romanticize it in any way. I recommend you watch the bonus material after watching the documentary. More particularly, the interviews with the soldiers (called 'Italian Bites') are very interesting: they discuss their career in the army, why they chose such a career, the impact of war, notions such as bravery and honour, etc., and they show themselves to be thoughtful and articulate. Overall, an excellent documentary on the war in Afghanistan, and on war and soldiering in general.