Combat Obscura

By far this is the most explicit graphic war documentary I have ever seen. Only The Dead, and Vietnam Television History come close. Here we see the US Marines trapped in a hopeless situation without the support of the local population. Their comrades die around them.

Totally uncensored and raw. No flashy Hollywood narrative or editing. The Marine filmmaker keeps recording at all times to tell his intended view of the reality of war.

They let their anger and stress out in a number of ways from daily hash and marijuana in the field, to out right anger. There's very intense gory footage of combat casualties and deaths right in front of the camera in high-quality. For those going to point the finger at these US Marines, if you've never lived under the Taliban control then you really shouldn't comment.

This film just throws you right into a war to get a glimpse of what it's like. If one is looking for more of a artsy documentary with a plot maybe stick to the National Geographic Afghanistan documentaries but of course they're censored.

...and for that alone it's probably worth a watch. As a former veteran (and the ONLY reason I mention that is to point out I know what it's like to be under Uncle Sam's thumb) it's both novel and slightly shocking to see this raw view of combat Marines in "global war on terror". The sight of seeing young Marines in a combat zone partaking in weed (presumably there was just no access to the more traditional alcohol) is just one of several candid revelations in this otherwise conventional documentary. I'd be very interested to know the reactions of the Marine brass on seeing "Obscura"... but fortunately, all the UCMJ evil-doer Marines are all safely discharged into civilian life and beyond the reach of the military legal system.

For showing Marines in a true, unvarnished and uncensored way, along with showing some of the unpleasant truths that the American press has been ordered to conceal from the American public, "Combat Obscura" manages to set itself apart from all of the many Nat Geo style, DOD-approved-and-censored documentaries made about the "Forever Wars", so far.

Patchwork footage of fighting the Taliban and trying to win villagers' hearts and minds. Principally unfocused.

Screenplay...................................... 3 / 10 Interviews........................................ 3 Visuals................................................ 6 Sound................................................... 7 Editing................................................ 4 Timeless Utility................................. 5 Total.................................................... 28 / 60 ~= 4.7 (rounded to 6) Verdict................................................. Passable for a general audience.

I know for certain that this is not the realities of war, but a cinematic Hollywood adaptation to the world, but nonetheless the film provides an insight. I'm very grateful for the reality in which the film provides As for my comments on how the USA military is... I'll keep that to myself.

This movie is really interesting and well made. It shows the conflicting intellectual and spiritual toll war takes on individuals. On the other hand, it does a good job at depicting soldiers for what they really are: uneducated, narrow-minded, monoethnic, monolingual, violent, murderers, without any pride, honor, or courage, whilst convincing themselves they have all three. They clearly lack the wisdom and the intelligence to take or save a life. It conveys the true necessity to jail all soldiers for life, or give them the capital punishement. This movie provides a raw insight into the minds of individuals who are responsible for the destabilization of the Middle East, and for listening to even less educated politicians.