As a US Marine I can pretty much relate to everything that went on in this series... From the banter among low ranks, to the stupid games we have to endure, to living in terrible conditions, it's all here. To weapons jamming and MRE's, this series really has it all. The thing that caught my attention was how they captured the terrible leadership at times from the powers that be. I'm here to tell you there is some pitiful officers leading men into battle. And then you have some outstanding NCO's that make things happen. This series shows it all and from my perspective, this is probably as close as it gets to the real thing. Wanna be a United State Marine? This will give you a little insight on what it's like after bootcamp. Some great actors in this show and have to give all the credit to the producers and director. Guarantee they had real Marines on set making sure they got things as accurate as they were allowed. This was a solid solid series and will watch it again and again... man I miss being around my Brothers and everything that goes with being a Marine... Semper Fi Rudy!!!
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brett-7626018 November 2021
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defcon_ronin14 July 2008Every Marine that I know who's read this book, and the couple that have caught the first episode has nothing but good things to say about the material. David Simon and Ed Burns did a great job of sticking to the heart of Wright's story--and from what I've heard, even referenced Lt. Fick's personal account (One Bullet Away)--of that deployment as well. As an active duty Sergeant in the USMC, most of my enlistment has involved working with and managing the same kind of colorful personalities seen in GK. I lost track of how many times we laughed at random "unfunny" scenes because the accuracy of the mannerisms, terminology, or situations depicted.
The one thing that caught me off guard was, after watching all the HBO trailers, the lack of music. I kept expecting to hear that campy trailer music sprite up the background, but it never happened. Oh well, you can't win em all.
YOU WILL ABIDE BY THE GROOMING STANDARD. -
MDBum23 July 2008First off, viewers should realize that this series is about a marine recon team. This is not about the army, navy, air force, etc. Most armed forces members will tell you that the people in the Marines are a different breed from other members. They are often by nature, more aggressive, angry, patriotic, racist, need to prove something, excited to kill something, etc. If you get annoyed by that, then don't watch Generation Kill. Regardless, the series is good because, although the series isn't a deep philosophical "thin red line",(judging by the demeanor and mentality of a lot of the soldiers in the film it would seem a bit unrealistic), it is an honest portrayal of the mindset, expectations, and mentality of these specific groups of soldiers. Another strong point is the relatively lack of action. This is also an honest portrayal. Much of war is 95% of sitting around, doing random chores, getting bored out of your mind, mixed in with 5% of terror and serious fighting which can shake anyone's mental foundation and nerves. . I feel this series captured this rather well.
The only downside to the film was David simon's typecasting of the obnoxious character from season 2 of the wire (wire fans will know what im talking about). It was good once, but not twice. Additionally, Skarsgard acting is rather wooden and questionable, particularly his accent, which ranges from southern, to standard, to something I've never heard of. I've lived in Scandinavia for quit some time so i've come quite accustomed to hearing their English, which is mostly excellent, but there are still hints.
Agree with the war or not, this series shows the bravery, albeit at times maniacal nature of men, who go into action when called upon. -
johnha-17 August 2008As a former Marine who was deployed to the same place at the same time, I think this show did an excellent job of capturing the 'essence' of what the invasion of Iraq was like to the men who were there. This show comes closer to accurately portraying wartime Marines than any other show I've ever seen. I think this is as close as Hollywood can get short of being there and filming it live. Sometimes the special effects are a little over the top, but the dress, demeanor and dialog of the characters are very accurate.
The attitudes, bearing, and language of the Marines portrayed are spot on, as well as the day to day problems and trials they encounter. I guess what I really like about this show is the lack of cheesy moto propaganda. The films are light on pro- or anti- war propaganda and heavy on truth. I'm sure some people think that the 'get some' attitude of the Marines glorifies the war while others think that pulling no punches in the collateral damage department is anti-war, but that isn't the case. These films boldly show the invasion of Iraq for what it was, for better or worse. The Marines have 'get some' attitudes in this show because Marines really have that attitude. Collateral damage, chaos and confusion among U.S. forces are in the show because it really happens in warfighting. -
gogoschka-127 December 2013What you get to see here is a one-of-a-kind mini-series: this is as close to a documentary as it gets. The realities of modern warfare are shown honestly with no political agenda and you are left to draw your own conclusions.
When I watched this series I remembered a quote from another film, 'The Siege' from 1998, where Bruce Willis' character, a high ranking army official, says something along the lines of: "The army is a broad sword - not a scalpel. So trust me, you do not want to call the army, unless you have absolutely no other option".
From an artistic point of view what stands out the most is the ensemble of actors. Not once during the entire seven episodes did I not believe I was watching the actual characters - the performances and the direction in this production are flawless. I've never seen a series that felt as real as this.
This goes beyond mere entertainment - this is simply the best contemporary television has to offer. 10 out of 10.
Favorite films: http://www.IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/
Lesser-known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/
Favorite Low-Budget and B-Movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054808375/
Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075552387/ -
As a marine who was part of OIF/OEF & the invasion and crossed paths with and personally knew members of the Force Recon unit profiled, it's one of the most accurate wartime movies I've ever seen! Absolutely perfect to the smallest detail! That aside, the filmmaking was also phenomenal from the cinematography to the special effects. What you see here is exactly how it was and is in modern combat and in the USMC to the letter. Brought back a ton of memories. Great performances great everything! 10/10! A must see!
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I had heard of "Generation Kill" when it premiered in 2008, but was unable to view since I do not have HBO. So I forgot about it for a while until some time ago I was looking around at the local library when I just happened to sight this little, television masterpiece, and decided, especially in light of what the result of our adventure in Iraq has been in the last few years, to give it a chance. And though I can't say "Generation Kill" was necessarily my favorite viewing experience, I'm glad I did. Based off of the memoirs of a Rolling Stone reporter embedded with the 1st Marine Recon Unit during the first days of the US invasion of Iraq, it begins on the eve of that faithful event by introducing the viewer to the men of 1st Marine Recon (many of whom are based off of real life Marines), their code, standards, and every day experience. When they learn that the invasion is going ahead, they also learn that a reporter from Rolling Stone will be coming with them. Initially reluctant to having a greenhorn tag along with them, they warm up to the young writer when they learn he used to write for Penthouse, a magazine many of these young, red blooded males are familiar with! Through the production, we see the course of events through the eyes of the Marines and their "hang around" in a the most unsugar coated method possible, and we come away with no illusions about what war is really like.
What makes "Generation Kill" so different from other war productions is the fact that it strips away the unnecessary fluff and puff and presents the story in an almost character ensemble/documentary style. In "Generation Kill" there is no music score or opening theme, only the crackle and chatter of voices over the radio greets us at the beginning and end credits of each episode, multiple units and men sounding off into the dead of night, which truth be told, is far more effective than any music theme could be (That being said, the final scenes of the last episode feature a most appropriate use of Johnny Cash's "The Man Comes Around", the only recorded song used in the entire series). There is also not much in the way of heroics or glory for the simple reason that in war, there is none to be found. There are no eagles soaring, or glory sounding tunes, or any other BS like that; only following the orders of your superiors (Even if they're complete fools or incompetent), hurrying up and waiting, and of course, death and destruction.
And that last part is especially evident in "Generation", as the series pulls no punches in regards to the civilian "collateral damage" that occurred in Iraq during our invasion, and thus shows the cost civilians pay when armies, even with the best of intentions, come charging into their environment in a combat role (To those who think US troops patrolling troubled neighborhoods would be a good idea, I challenge them to watch this and then try to argue for that idea!). All of this is effectively shown through the tremendous efforts of the directors, producers, show runners, writers, and actors such as Jon Huertas, Alexander Skarsgard, Lee Tergesen, Stark Sands, Neal Jones, Michael Kelly, Chance Kelly, former real life 1st Marine Rudy Reyes, James Ransone, and many, many more who I don't have the space for. To round it up, "Generation Kill" is a mini-series that leaves nothing to the imagination when it comes to the chaos and absurd nature of conflict, be it Iraq or anywhere else. As one former Marine commented here, this is the closet thing to war short of going there and actually filming it. For a former service member to say that, you know they did something right here. If you want to see what the reality of conflict without actually being there, then check out "Generation Kill". Stay frosty. -
grantss18 December 2015Brilliant war drama.
The story of 1st Marine Reconnaissance Battalion's participation in the second Allied invasion of Iraq, in 2003. Seen through the eyes of Rolling Stone reporter Evan Wright, who was embedded with the Battalion and upon whose book the series is based.
Though dramatized, this is pretty much a warts-and-all account of a military unit in combat. Hardly glamorous, it shows well the problems they face, both external and internal.
Not all drama and explosions - there are many great comedic moments, especially in the dialogue.
Accurate, engrossing and entertaining. -
jemcgarvey15 July 2008I'm also glad there is no music. Music (though moving) would have taken away the grit to this story and given it a more artificial feel. It's amazing how much of the dialog and situations are straight from the book, and how perfectly spot on they are showing Recon Marine culture.
I'm glad Rudy and Kocher got to play themselves. Though I only personally know Pappy out of these characters, it's obvious they are working as hard as they can (within Hollywood's tradition) to portray it as it happened. I hope they continue this series at least until the end of the invasion. I can't wait to see the action at the bridge and the other ambushes.
Oh, and the Sgtmaj. harping on grooming standards during combat operations is so hilarious because it's so true! -
ametaphysicalshark25 January 2009Proof that "Generation Kill", the miniseries produced by HBO films and written by David Simon and Ed Burns, their first project after the end of their television landmark "The Wire", a series which is completely incomparable in quality and scope to anything which has come before or since, is too intelligent to be concerned with simplistic political sloganeering, blind patriotism, or taking an anti-militaristic stance is the reaction which the political extremes have had to it. Any person with far right views I've spoken to or read on the internet has said similar things: this movie emasculates the marines and turns them into bleeding heart liberals (presumably because the film, and I will be referring to this as a film from this point onwards because it's definitely as much a film as "Berlin Alexanderplatz" is, has the guts to portray them as having compassion for wounded or killed civilians), and any person with far left views I've spoken to has apparently found the film to be immoral, presumably because it portrays men who spew violent, racist, homophobic, and misogynist invective as human beings.
In fact, "Generation Kill" is the farthest thing from either celebrating the military or being anti-militaristic. Like on "The Wire", David Simon and Ed Burns are on the side of the working class, as Kent Jones in Film Comment points out, and they have no interest in making a moral judgment on the nature of the work they're portraying, whether it's teaching, politics, drug dealing, or invading a country. Like Simon went beyond portraying drug dealers on "The Wire" to transporting us to their world and showing us their own problems, their own moral standards, their own worries and concerns, and introduced us to their own vernacular, he does the same with the marine corps in "Generation Kill". Like "The Wire", this is cunning and clever drama: it is political without taking sides, concerned with the inefficiency and bad planning coming 'from above' but without putting the blame on any individuals. It portrays people, some less likable and morally or politically correct than others, but people.
The only thing keeping "Generation Kill" from truly being a military version of "The Wire" is that its comparatively limited scope- it takes place within the first, 'triumphant' week of the invasion, and focuses pretty much only on one group of people. I'm entirely convinced that Simon could have written a thoroughly engrossing and fascinating drama about the Iraq war which extended past these five days, one which would have taken us past the marine corps into the lives of the other military units involved in the invasion, and the higher-ups as well, as he did starting in season 3 in "The Wire". As it stands, this is not a limitation of the power which "Generation Kill" holds, but a masterstroke in its success of making its point: every element which has made the situation in Iraq so chaotic was present in a latent form from the beginning. The film is not even really making a moral judgment of the war in Iraq, if anything it supports a well-executed version of it: most of the Iraqis we see, nearly 90% of them, are incredibly grateful, at least at this early stage, for being relieved of Saddam's rule.
Moreover, no American marine or any Iraqi is portrayed simplistically as a 'bad guy' or 'good guy', not even the bloodthirstiest of the Americans, and this writing is brought to life admirably well by the mostly perfect cast and the excellent direction and production value (it is obviously not a big-budget Hollywood film, but it still achieves real authenticity in almost every regard- the closest I came to disbelieving it was when a few Iraqis were portrayed as darker-skinned than any I've seen). The closest thing to a villain in the film is Saddam himself, who makes no literal appearance outside of posters on the streets, but then again he is pretty much the closest thing to a movie 'bad guy' in reality.
"Generation Kill" is, like "The Wire", ultimately a workplace drama about workplace politics. That the stakes are higher and that the innocent are killed even more often than they are on "The Wire" is irrelevant to the writers. This may make "Generation Kill" boring to those accustomed to and expecting a more standard war film, one which attempts an anti-war or pro-war statement. Like "The Wire" again, what the viewer is left with in the end is only a dislike of unnecessary violence and casualties, and a portrayal of the toll they take on those involved in either perpetrating the violence or those related to the victims. Both "The Wire" and "Generation Kill" are dramatically built on disappointment and disillusionment with the system in place itself, and like "The Wire" it is all about bad decisions, mistakes, and the rare good decision. The film ends with a montage and a song, much like every season of "The Wire", and with its subtle summation of the hours gone by and its emotional impact it cements David Simon's status as one of the greatest and most important writers of our time. -
paulsansoucy9 April 2020I accept the many comments stressing the accuracy of this series, with reservations. The action sequences are very well done. If they seem jerky, chaotic, and difficult to comprehend, that is because, combat is not linear. It is a series of random perceptions, difficult to place in any logical order. The Marines look reasonably authentic. They are young looking, just as my rifle platoon Marines were young. At 24, I was the oldest member of the platoon, but for my experienced platoon sergeant. Lt. Fick looks young, but he is just right. Incidentally, his book, "One Bullet Away" is excellent. It is more accurate than the HBO series. A couple of points where I take issue: my Marines were a lot less talkative than these Recon Marines. Maybe 50 years has made a difference, but the banter was a lot less in my day. Communication was often much more subtle, almost like that between husband and wife, when a single word, an expression, or a gesture was all that was required. Definitely no long soliloquies about any topic. Somewhere in the Marine Corps there may be a Sgt Major that is as big a jerk as this one but I never saw a senior NCO even 1/10 of the one portrayed. I would also say that the lieutenants and captains with whom I served were more solid and less uneven than this group. I experienced some majors who were painful, but I don't recall a PFC who was as pitiful as Capt. America. Also, let me note that these Marines were living the good life compared to our day, when C Rations were the field chow, there was no energy drink, baby wipes, or other similar goodies. Language was bad in the '60s, and the series accurately captures radio speak, acronym usage, and obscene, black humor. There was more formality in addressing each other: my corporals were Corporal X. I was always lieutenant, although it came out like "tenant". My company commander never used my first name. I was always lieutenant. Marines are different. The series captures that, and is a solid contribution to culture.
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bigjewfan1 August 2008Before some one comments on this mini-series they have to understand that is based entirely in truth. I first picked up the book while I was traveling home on leave shortly after returning from Iraq and read it in one sitting on the plane. One of the things that I find to be the most outstanding about the book and the series so far is that it is true to the people. I don't mean that it gives us something new and authentic to ponder. I can't think of any instance where the book or show goes into the political aspect of Iraq. And you know why. Because Marines don't make policy. They enforce it, regardless of there personal feelings towards it.
I am personally tired of hearing the comments about the show being cliché' If they spend anytime around the military they will find that most of characters portrayed are just like the young men serving. Marines are a different breed. They are asked to do different things that most of society would not understand. Enjoy the show and try not to get your mind wrapped around it to much. -
baka_land8 September 2022Love the wire but this glorification, with a pinch of sense of humor to distract from the horror of war? Doesn't work on everyone, not everyone is a macho marine who served and of course, they love the show, why won't they? To hide the guilt of war crimes and killing innocent people in the name of 'freedom' or the evil 'wmd', not the good wmd which they themselves sell. There is a reason why it's always the third world countries become a test subject for the weaponry, which they are going to sell to the world, a slideshow created with the help of patriotic men/women who believe or end up believing that there is always an enemy, but they do charity too, U. N's whole existence is to create the 'humane' look after the countries in the U. N completely destroy third world countries. It's like hail mary, after committing genocide.
The direction was almost perfect, very visceral and the actors were good but the whole point of war, or the feelings about the war was never discussed in a fashion that left an impact, instead it was like 'that's how it is' and never questioning. The whole thing about most of 'hajis' can't speak english or being primitive is just the way hollywood is, lacking to do its homework and still stuck with the cave dweller template. -
This is certainly no Band of Brothers and the drive to watch it is more out of a sense of morbid curiosity. But what is does reinforce is the concept of basic stupidity of the average Marine, and the lost reason and sanity of a few intelligent Marines in an otherwise testosterone laden landscape of illiteracy and limited vocabulary. I would like to think that this is a piece of fiction, but I fear this is , as others have said, true to life. It makes me sad to be an American if this is a true and actual depiction of what it is to be a Marine. if this is true it does not give one a sense that we will win anything based on intelligence, but rather by brute force. I suspect you could consider this a sanitized version of what the Defense Department didn't want you to see during the real war. None of thee men are heroes as you would find in Band of Brothers, where people rallied to a well defined enemy and the country made huge sacrifices to support the war effort.
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Honest look at what went on in America's war for "Iraqi Freedom". The series is from the point of view of First Recon Marines. It gives us a realistic look of modern warfare, the combat is the most authentic i have come across, it doesn't hype the action for cinematic values. Be warned you won't get to see much of action but when it happens it's tense.
As in real life so in series the Marines are made up of unique characters, there are capable as well as dumb officers. The soldiers come from different background and races, there are Mexicans, South Americans, Blacks, Rednecks, some are educated, some joined out of patriotism, some were given choice between jail term or marine school. Everyone's brain tuned in differently, the only thing common between them are the unity of brotherhood and them being highly trained killers.For me the best part and the highlight of the series are the humors and sarcastic banter among the soldiers.
After watching the series I did some research and found out most of the names and designation are from real people and actual facts.In fact two of guys played themselves.
The series is pretty much controversy free which is surprising considering it shows some stuff which the Government would have liked kept out of limelight.
Do watch it, it's fun as well as education. -
rgh-1854311 October 2020Ok. First off, I've never served in the military and definitely have been in a combat zone. So - my opinion is the opinion of an educated, but largely personally ingorant viewer of a war series.
So. Then. Disclosure having been made, I have watched this series easily, start to finish, 20 times. It's a go-to in my iPad when I travel - and it's always engaging.
The depth is was gets me. I read the book, and the series is a good adaptation - giving the viewer the incredibly nuanced view of what the First Recon Marines experienced in the invasion of Iraq.
Now - I've read a review form New York Times writer Troy Patterson - who obviously disliked it - and as you would expect from the NYT the opinion comes from a place of intentional ignorance - and, largely, from complete failure to see the depth of the actors and the experience of Marines in that theater.
For example - the false bravado - and superficially racist banter that pervades the series - is an incredibly interesting contrast the reality of how every one of these men would put down their lives for their brothers, black, white, brown, whatever. They understand, implicitly, that "sticks and stone (and bullets) break bones - while people of substance understand just how trivial and inconsequential words are in a place where people are trying to kill you and you need to have faith in your right and left hand fellow soldier.
Ultimately, the series is just that - a study in contrasts - the boredom followed by frenetic fear. The need to adhere to orders, and the gross incompetence of some who give them. Ultimately, the series transcends it's own setting and gives us a slice of reality that illustrates how some things matter and some things don't.
When people are killing and being killed - there is no place for discussion of "safe spaces" or "microaggressions".
Just a great, great series. Watch it. -
rsp_k6915 July 2008I enjoyed this immensely, and without revealing my views on the war on Iraq, I must say that I fail to see where these anti-war propaganda/war mongering commentaries are relevant.
Understandingly the Iraqi war has deep-set emotions with the American Public, but I did not feel that this in any way glorified, nor vilified the US troops. Nor did it so for the Iraqis. How anyone can regard this as left-wing anti-war propaganda is beyond me, as it seemed most of the characters had very human and sympathetic traits. As all of us who have served in the military know, there are often extreme personalities(i.e racist, militant, fundamental religious beliefs etc), by the sheer fact that the armed forces are a cross-section of any country's inhabitants, but they all showed camaraderie and discipline more than hostility towards humanity in my point of view.
although I said I wouldn't reveal my views regarding, I now feel compelled to do so. I am a huge opposer of the war in Iraq, and I feel great resentment towards many of the US foreign policies, but that does not mean that I do not enjoy the story on a personal level, nor that I can not sympathize with a country in war. By entertainment standards, this is some of the best television I've seen in a long while, and I can't WAIT for the next episode. -
mazinman-13 June 2023I'm not sure why I had not heard of this significant production, but now that I have seen it, I think it's easily a high quality, contemporary version of "Band of Bros" as seen through the context of Operation Desert Storm. As a retired US Navy guy who worked closely with the USMC, I found GK to be so spot on - from the incredible production values, the military jargon, the acting, script, to the cinematography - all were of the highest caliber. I hope GK was richly awarded after it's release, because it is worthy of praise on every level. The ensemble cast brought their "A"-game, and the dynamics and dialogue between the characters should be studied by every film school student. I can't give Generation Kill a high enough rating or endorsement.
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kosmasp24 May 2020Well it could be more real if you actually went there (if you did, I'm pretty certain you appreciate the way this was made). But not having been there and only being able to judge this from afar, this feels close to a documentary, in a very good sense that is.
It is only 7 episodes long and the makers of Wire are behind it as the discs did not fail to state. This is way different than the Wire though. This is about war, this is about a generation and how they got "hoaxed" into a war. This is how people view things, what their expectation was and how leadership can be quite failed. Putting the wrong people in charge, not having checked their psychology can lead to quite the disaster. Even if not, it is quite awful to watch what one of the people who commands others does himself.
But war does do certain things to a person. Depending on what they want to do, they mental state, they might go overboard. And the series throws you, without much explanation. It is confusing and irritating ... it is also gold and a must see watch. -
mark-lynch-986-8734294 October 2020I have sat here for last 20 mins to decide what to write, So here it is: Final Scene will keep you awake at night......
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bob the moo19 December 2008Like many others, I heard about David Simon et al doing Generation Kill as an idea long before it was made and while The Wire was still being screened. Interested, I read the book and enjoyed it as a piece of journalism and I understood what it was that perhaps attracted those behind The Wire to this in particular. When it came to watching the miniseries myself I had to mind myself in a couple of ways. Firstly I was careful that I didn't have my mind made up in regards how I felt it should be but, more importantly I had to make sure that I didn't start watching it with the decision already made that it was "brilliant".
I do not mean to criticise others but there is the temptation for Wire fans to love anything associated with it sometimes before the thing in question is yet to be seen. I forced myself into this mode because I am prone to that quite often deciding I know what something is before I have seen it. Much like The Wire, Generation Kill has a slow start and a pace that is a lot more patient than the setting (and trailers) would have you believe. To some this will be a problem but to me it just added to how convincing it was that we didn't have huge action sequences and much in the way of shootouts (in an action sense). This is not to say that there is no action, because there is, but it is delivered in a realistic way that is regularly shocking or tense but not really exciting in the Hollywood sense. If anything a lot of it is matter-of-fact in the presentation, while the content is shocking. One good example of this is the incorrect levelling of a village in episode 3 it just happens suddenly and totally, but an ambush on a bridge is perhaps a better example of the series when a fire-fight occurs. It is frantic, chaotic and disorientating and the viewer is in the middle of it much like the reporter.
Speaking of chaos, throughout the miniseries you can see what about the story attracted Simon etc to it. Much like The Wire we have a war that is going badly with those at the top protecting themselves and keeping distant from the reality, middle-managers are left to make the toughest calls as the pressure comes down on them from above to solve the problems and all the time those on the ground have the best perspective but no power only frustration and, in some cases, apathy. It does this really well because, despite what we get to see, at no point could it be accused of being "against the troops". Instead it points to unseen authority figures much higher up the power structure than our point of view allows us to see. It never blunders this point home though and it stays away from going after specifics or scoring easy points; in managing this what we get is a much more engaging story because it leaves the viewer to form an opinion without the heavy air of anger or judgement.
The "story" structure helps this. The obvious adaptation is to do it from the pov of the reporter character and, with his introduction I had assumed this is where it was going as it is a common device. It doesn't do this though and instead has an effective ensemble feel build around a loose focus on one unit in particular, led by Brad Colbert. The slight downside of this is that the show could be accused of having no "plot" because in truth it doesn't have a specific flow other than being embedded with the characters I suppose it could be called an apt point that the narrative certainly doesn't have an "end" (although the series does to a point albeit a rather obvious one that channels but never fulfils the spirit of The Wire's season conclusions).
The Wire always had good performances across the board and on the whole Generation Kill manages to do the same thing. The obvious star is the cool and charismatic Skarsgård who is a real rock at the centre of the show. Equally impressive though is someone who I disliked in his character when he was in season 2 of The Wire but who is a lot more natural and engaging here Ransone. Tergesen brings little because the material isn't there for him and mostly he feels a bit out of place almost too recognisable for such a role. I go though as performances are roundly solid from Sands, Lush, Huertas, Kelly and others. Some didn't quite work as well Nenninger seemed to struggle to make something of Capt America, he tries but it was a big ask to make him more than the character that came across in the book. The production standards are high here, with the effects being convincing and the sets worked really well (only one moment in the final episode, driving under the swords statue, didn't feel real).
Generation Kill will not garner the praise directed at The Wire and nor should it really because it is not quite that good, mainly down to the nature of the material and the short run. It is however, still very good. Built on similar themes as The Wire, Gen Kill builds a convincing world and allows the viewer to draw the conclusions that are obvious. The acting is mostly good even if many people have limited character in their parts and the production values are high. Very engaging and impressive piece of work from the equally good book of the same name. -
ruud-354 August 2019Problem with this tv show is the pace. 7 episodes is way too long. And ofcourse a lot of American patriotism is for an European way over the top. Nevertheless the acting is more than okay, altough Captain America is complete over the top. Can t believe that people compare this with Band of Brothers, that is a complete other Leaque
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kingdave12713 July 2008What can I say? In the first episode I saw great and (for the most part) realistic dialogue, excellent acting, good character development, and an avoidance of most clichés. I especially liked how this episode did not give any kind of glorified look at the heroes of this miniseries; the characters are ordinary people, trained to kill. Because of this, we see people who are unapologetic in their views of the enemy and each other. They are trained to kill, and thank God for that and for them. If we did not have people like that working for us, I doubt any of us would be here posting messages on a website. As a former soldier, I cannot wait to see the rest of this series.
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Very good acting for a generally good story, but the story is infused with unrealistic portrayals of officers and leaders that are wholly incompetent and stupid and not held accountable for the same. Even with those frequent shortcomings of the series, the actors are entertaining.
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kgottlicher26 November 2008In order to truly get a feel for this series, one needs to see all seven of the episodes (each of which tops 60 min), preferably in as few sittings as possible. That's nearly eight hours of plot that boils down to this:
1. Bored soldiers shooting the breeze. 2. Endless briefings littered with military lingo followed by endless radio communication littered with military lingo. 3. Five minutes of (usually random and mission-unrelated) action. 4. Bored soldiers shooting the breeze.
I know the point of Generation Kill is to realistically depict what war really looks like when you're a 21st century Marine in a technologically vastly superior army, but does one really need 8 h of it to get the point? Each episode looks EXACTLY the same, and it gets old by the time you sit down to watch the 4th one.
We follow a group of Marines on their way to Baghdad, expecting a grand finale in the 7th episode. But it never occurs. The war is already over by the time they reach it, so they just get there, detonate one leftover bomb, and go home. Nice to see where gazillions of dollars and years of training went to. But kudos for showing the reality as is.
At the same time, realism is also what this series has got going for it (it's just that no one needs 8 h of the same old, same old). We see Marines going on the ever-changing and often pointless/contradictory/inconsequential missions in their Humvees, which any regular could have performed just as well, and which are usually more suited for tanks and LAVs. As one Marine remarks: "We are finely-tuned Ferraris in a demolition derby". Yet there's very little concrete combat shown in each episode. And that's my major gripe with it. Maybe HBO didn't want to spend millions of dollars on pyrotechnics, or maybe it didn't feel necessary to turn their series into a "Saving Pvt. Ryan"-style action. But it would have been nice to see more of what all those mission briefings and radio talk amounted to in each episode. As it stands, it feels anticlimactic. But I guess that was the idea: realism. Missions don't look like the D-Day or the "Call of Duty". They're routine and boring.
Also, there's almost no plot: the whole series feels more like a mess of little snapshots and events, or notes written in a diary, often jumping from one scene to another pretty haphazardly. But - I guess that was the idea.
There's also an overabundance of characters. It takes you a few episodes to link the names with the faces and remember just who's who exactly, since they all pretty much look the same and few stand out. But I guess that's army.
The in-between-mission juvenile antics and banal talk are often interspersed with faux-philosophizing about the war in general, with lines such as:
"If you kill people in peacetime, you end up in jail. But here you get a medal for it".
No sh#t, Captain Obvious.
And that's where the viewer boredom really starts to set in. Once again, there's nothing wrong with it per se, but when you stretch it out across all seven episodes and lace it with minimum action, it gets old. This would've made for a powerful two-part series, but then I guess it wouldn't have imparted what it's supposed to, and that's the fact that for these guys war was pretty boring. Not a novelty in and of itself, but realism can never get overrated.
On the other hand, I find the understated (and often absurd) humor to be a nice touch. For instance, although they're fighting in a desert, the Marines are issued forest camouflage. They can't get the command to send them batteries for their night vision goggles, so they trade pictures of their girlfriends with another platoon to get them. Etc, etc.
There's also an over-the-top, Sgt.-Hartman-from-the-"Full Metal Jacket"-like sergeant(?), who provides additional comic relief with his obsession about the grooming standard, unleashing streams of red-faced, heavy-accented fury upon soldiers if their mustache are longer than their lip edges or their shirts aren't tucked in.
Also, unlike in any other war movie, soldiers are shown as humans and not robots, who (surprise, surprise) need to empty their bladder or take a dump once in a while. Or jack off. The amount of times someone is shown taking a dump is almost ridiculous, but I like the realism and the underlying humor of it.
To wind up this run-on comment, I'd like to cite the Captain, who said: "I'm not afraid of the Iraqis - I'm more afraid of doing something that would displease the General."
And that sums up rather nicely what being in the army is all about.
So, a realistically-produced series that is often more than the sum of its parts. But that's not a bad place to be. With a Hollywood budget, this would've been epic. But then it would've been spoiled by cartoonish heroes and patriotic self-aggrandizement. So, come to think of it, it's just fine as is.