01
American anti-war films are so dull, from the music to the pictures to the theme of the whole film, it always makes people feel breathless.
Since then, it seems that no corner can be placed in the heart that has been floating for a long time in the era of freedom and peace. We tried to look up historical materials, and tried to feel the sadness in the war environment with tears, but the fear and bullets when the sea was overwhelmed by the eyes. We can never truly empathize with the craving for life that crosses our heads.
The people of Sri Lanka have passed away, and many things cannot be said. Unfortunately, this matter will always remain in people's hearts, echoing every night.
I watched "Battle of Elah," directed by Paul Haggis, which is one of the few films I've seen with the crime/suspense label.
During the art examination period, I watched "Schindler's List", "Life is Beautiful", "Saving Private Ryan", "The Beautiful Legend of Sicily", and I think it is like it, but it can't be called love, "Battle of Ela Valley" It can be said that it came from behind and became the number one in my heart.
I never thought that when I saw the title, I thought that the picture would be a movie with blood and bullets flying. In 121 minutes, what I saw more was a kind of cruel and dull. My heart seems to be tugging at something.
Retired father Hank receives a phone call from his missing son and hopes to find the whereabouts of his son Mike.
I thought it would be a movie that embodies American heroism, where the father is omnipotent and finally finds his son.
However, not long after the movie starts, we are told that the old father's son died and died tragically. The murderer was a comrade-in-arms who was born and died together, and Mike's body was dismembered.
02
This may be the reason why the whole film has been so depressing from beginning to end. Death is shrouded in the hearts of the viewers from the very beginning, and it is even more hidden in the expression of the old father who is hesitant to say anything. At this time, he is a Extremely lonely.
This is their second and last son, and at the same time, a son who will never be seen again in this world.
Hank's wife was hoarse and her eyes were red and swollen.
"Hank, we have two sons, you could have kept one for me."
"Mike wanted to be a soldier on his own, and I didn't encourage him in this matter."
"In this home, if he doesn't go out, he will never feel that he is a man."
Hank's character is very clear. Under the director's arrangement, some details of daily life are showing his rigidity, rigor, meticulousness, regularity and vigilance as we do.
Having lived in the army for many years, the instillation of regulations has penetrated into his bones. At the same time, Hank has brought it into his own life and also involves his family.
We thus learned that, in fact, some of Mike's behaviors can be found in the family of origin. His joining the army is a kind of proof and a manifestation of dignity, but what he is far from understanding is that the army can have glory, dignity, rights, and a dark side that he has never really touched.
Of course, the army is just a carrier, and the ultimate reason is war, which is what an anti-war film itself wants to tell us - war destroys human nature, people crave peace more than ever, desire power and money more than ever, and the world is need peace.
There is more death than ever, and death is more frightening than ever.
03
In the process of looking for Mike, the father Hank has been looking for clues in the videos shot by his son before his death. Those shaking shots, blurred images, and deformed people in the images are actually reflections of people's hearts in that environment at that time.
In Iraq, Mike was chaotic and full of fear.
He was dark and confused at that time, he didn't want to fight, he resisted being here in Iraq. The cruelty of war and the damn rules have led him to see more human nature that he had never understood before. In the face of war, there is no distinction between good and evil, and there is no comparison between right and wrong; if someone wants to survive, someone must die.
Fear, greed, and fate are ravaging and testing everyone. In that environment, no one could escape such a test.
Before his death, Mike went to bars with his comrades in arms, went to tease dancers, and said filthy words in his mouth. After catching Muslims, he tortured their wounds unscrupulously, and built his happiness on self-indulgence, just for the sake of his heart. a little pleasure; but, they all knew, in that system, pleasure was too expensive at the time. They will never get it.
It was all full of superficial arbitrariness, and Mike didn't know how to grow up in such a depressing environment, so he fell into the abyss.
04
The most cruel setting in the whole film: Mike was killed by his comrades who had died together, and his body was dismembered and burned.
"We thought someone was barbecuing." It was a very sarcastic remark.
The truth is often unacceptable. Penning calmly tells how a group of people killed Mike. In the process, we do not see a trace of cowardice, and a numb bravery makes people feel scared.
"We wanted to bury him, but it was too late and we were all hungry."
"We bought food at the fried chicken shop."
"We all like Mike, but, I believe, one day Mike will stab me with a knife."
In hindsight, it is not the war that is cruel, but the increasingly numb people's hearts under the war. It makes people feel that this world is extraordinarily cold; both life and death, we seem to be forced to be brave. In the Asura field of life, it will be a pity for everyone to leave more.
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