"Restrepo" - A Must See

When it comes to war movies the ones that usually come to mind first are “Black Hawk Down,” “Saving Private Ryan,” and “We Were Soldiers.”  However, Hollywood has had a significant impact and effect on these movies, making them less true to the real experiences of Soldiers.  Recently I watched a fascinating movie, “Restrepo,” that depicts one company’s deployment to the Korengal Valley in Afghanistan.  It is completely accurate in that it is real footage shot from either the individual Soldier’s personal cameras or from a cameraman who lived there with the Soldiers.

 

This film, shot in 2007, stars the Soldiers of Second Platoon, B Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (airborne) of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.  Their mission was to establish relationships with the locals and establish security within the region. 

At the time this film was created, the Korengal Valley was considered “the deadliest place on Earth” due to the extreme violence and rampant insurgency.   The film is named after PFC Juan S. Restrepo, a medic who was killed early on in the deployment. 

With scenes such as Rock Avalanche, viewers can see the extreme conditions in which the Soldiers lived and fought.  Not only is this film an accurate portrayal of today’s war in Afghanistan but it is also eye-opening and uplifting.  You can see the emotional distress of these Soldiers when they would lose a teammate.  At the same time, you can see how resilient they were and how proud they were to do their job and come home.

 The Korengal Valley

 OP (Observation Post) Restrepo

 The harsh terrain Soldiers operate in

Restrepo can be found on Amazon for only $.99 for a seven day rental.   Even if Military movies aren't your topic of choice, I highly recommend watching this movie.  Rent it today!