MovieChat Forums > Home of the Brave (2007) Discussion > Is accuracy the real question?

Is accuracy the real question?

posted 16 years ago by aland-16
16 replies | jump to latest

I have tried to see all the movies about the war in Iraq. I missed this one when it was originally released and just now rented it. I can't speak for the authenticity of any of these movies because I don't know anyone who has been in Iraq or any other war except my father that served in WWII.

I watch them to try and understand what is really happening and to sort out my feelings as to whether we should be there or not. This movie whether tecnically accurate or not did seem to convey what the men and women are experiencing in Iraq and how difficult it is to adjust after returning home.

I do know from personal experience that my father still has disturbing memories from his service in the navy. He was involved in many invasions in the Pacific theatre, but the attack on Iwo Jima seems to haunt him the most. He drove an LCVP that landed marines on the island in the first wave of the attack.

He is 83 years old now and has been through a lot of bad situations, and has always handled them without showing emotion. To this day when he talks about Iwo Jima or even sees something on TV about it he frequently breaks into tears.

When the family does get him to talk about it, he descibes the images of delivering the young marines to the island healthy and whole and then later picking up wounded, maimed, and dead young men. He seems to blame himself for this, not the Japenese.

So I guess war is war no matter the cause, country or time in history and the people directly involved experience the same after effects in one way or the other.

[–] justxme 16 years ago

I think the real question is why nobody has answered to your statement yet after nearly two weeks...

From what I've read here, this movie was not very successful in the USA. On IMDB, many people critize it for being boring or unrealistic. Is it only my opinion or could it be that many people in the USA try to close their eyes from reality? Honoring the soldiers that have fought bravely or have been killed in action (which is absolutely correct, of course) but trying to ignore the fact that many more return with lasting wounds to their body or soul?

Being German, I've read that many of the homeless people in the USA are former soldiers / war veterans who couldn't get along with what they have expierienced, and nobody was there to help them. So they turned to alcohol, lost jobs, families and ended up in the streets.

It's probably no coincidence that the US government doesn't allow photos to be taken of the coffins that are brought back from Iraq [edit: I wrote this in the Bush era] and that badly injured soldiers are brought to the biggest US army hospital OUTSIDE of the USA located in Landstuhl/Germany to be patched up and made "presentable" before being returned to the states, a fact that doesn't seem to be well known in the USA.

I've read a statement by an american (!) author that it's difficult for the british government to convince their population of the need of another war (which was not succesful in 2003 as many people were against the invasion of Iraq) but once the British are convinced, they accept the fact that casualties will be suffered. In comparison, the Americans only need a speech from the president about "forces of evil that threaten the freedom of the US and it's allies" and they are for the war. But when the number of dead young soldiers increases, they start to wonder if this was really the right choice although they hardly complain openly. The reason for the war isn't considered that important.

[–] energeez 16 years ago

i think accuracy is a justified question where we live in a country where alot of things are learned from movies or experienced. Accuracy also comes into play when your thinking about respecting soldiers, ect. i have a service background, but have never been to war, and in my opinion this movie was dead on, i was surprised actually. When samual jackson told his sons principal off for the anti-bush shirt i laughed my ass off(quietly)
But all in all this is my way of looking at the "coming home" problem: peace is alot harder to do than war, as with the war itself it also can be applied to individuals in it.

[–] justxme 16 years ago

Oh dear!

You wrote: "we live in a country where alot of things are learned from movies or experienced."

Do you you think it's true that in the 80's the numbers of people applying for the armed forces in general and for the navy in particular increased because Top Gun drew a cool and glorious picture of the service?

Don't you guys have, like... schools, books, grandparents, relatives who tell you what life is really like? Do you really join the army or the police because you saw movies that showed you what the service is like?

"Accuracy also comes into play when your thinking about respecting soldiers, ect."

Is that why the soldiers returning from Vietnam were spat on, and for the soldiers returning from Iraq in spring '91 there were parades in NY and Washington with crowds cheering? Because there was Top Gun in the 80's showing the average citizen what war is like?

"i have a service background, but have never been to war,"

Same with me.

Come on, somebody please correct my view of you people from US and A!

[–] ericburkemper 16 years ago

I like how you yourself have falsely believed something you saw in a movie.

Soldiers were never "spat on" when they came back from Vietnam. That's something from the fictional novel and film Rambo.

Which is the main problem, PTSD only occurred in about 15% of Veterans coming home from Vietnam, but according to any movie that took place during the Vietnam War, you'd think it was every soldier.

And the part about most homeless people being veterans is a lie, mainly spread by homeless people wearing HOMELESS VET PLEASE HELP signs in attempts to gain sympathy, like winos asking for money for food to make it seem like they're starving when they're really buying alcohol. I remember watching a news investigation that talked to fifty homeless people who claimed to be veterans, but none had any proof of it.

[–] justxme 16 years ago

No sir, I haven't seen Rambo for 15 years and I hardly remember anything from it. I don't like violent movies with a pseudo-message.

Haven't there been anti-war demonstrations in Washington DC and stuff like that?

Where do you have your numbers (15%) from? The government or the armed forces will clearly have no interest in accepting ptsd with a lot of soldiers because then claims for financial support would follow. Plus less young people would join. And the gulf war syndrome is also not true?

Of course there will be lots of homeless people who lie about being a veteran but after 20 years on the street you will hardly have your army documents neatly folded in a file or remember details from your service.

[–] ericburkemper 16 years ago

The 15% comes from Wikipedia which many different government and private statistics, which should be accurate. Also no one knows what causes Gulf War Syndrome, since it only happened in the Gulf War. Leading theories involve botched chemical weapon handling or side-effects from the shots given to prevent sickness from any sort of chemical warfare.

And most of the questions asked to homeless "veterans" are simple ones such as "what unit were you in". That's akin to asking you what high school you went to or even what state you lived in. If you can't remember that you're lying since you were clever enough to make a sign proclaiming you're a veteran.

[–] jeffdenis 15 years ago

As a military myself I have a hard time believing it could possibly be possible for a veteran to be homeless... it probably happened twice in the 80's and Hollywood made a big deal out of it and exaggerated the situation (as they're so good at it)
If an Asian man kills a black man tomorrow then Hollywood will make a movie where all Asian men kill every black men on the planet, come on.
Don't believe everything you see in movies... most of it is fake, it's entertainment first people.

And there are anti-war demos everywhere on Earth, there's people with no life everywhere.

[–] charlieak 15 years ago

Couldn't be possible for veterans to be homeless? You're in the military? Really?

You should take a trip to Colorado Springs, CO. A large military community with a very large homeless population. And yes, many of these men and women have a military background. Without the proper re-introduction into "civilian" society, many soldiers find their lives leading down the path of homelessness.

While you're at it, maybe you should volunteer in the psych unit of your local VA hospital to gain a better understanding of the psychological and emotional impact combat has on our veterans. As a nurse, I see the very real effects everyday.

Although this movie may be cheesy, the themes the movie makers explore are very real...maybe not presented in the best way.

Feed 'em sh!t and keep 'em in the dark.

[–] ztpt 15 years ago

As a Military?wow you must be big man..hehe im kidding bra,you should remove the a:)

On topic:you have to take into account all the homeless ppl that lie abt their veteran status to get sympathy money when panhandling on the street..

[–] powellok 15 years ago

First Part somewhat realistic then the movie went down hill. This is my observations on the First part.

Traditionally the enemy uses IEDs first then ambushes.

When they were driving past the checkpoints there was not enough gun trucks to secure them.

I could be wrong because I did not see patches clearly. I have no idea what their MOS is but there should have been either MPs or Infantry to support the convoy. Maybe they were infantry with women attached, who knows not enough info. I believe their was but it was not explained.

Some of the Gun trucks had no guns.

You do not run loan ranger style after an enemy or you are asking to get killed.

The trucks were too empty not enough equipment even if they were guard, in fact they looked well equipped to me other then lack of armor on their trucks.

Guard units even back in early OIF still got as well equipped as reg army.

There real response when there is a blockage is to either ram it out of the way or back up quickly.

Lack of rank and structure.

The what I believe to be infantry support did not get out of dodge with the Convoy, they should not have been clearing houses but supporting and covering the convoy. Once your in those ambushes its like roaches you can get rid of them all unless you are prepared or out number them. The reason that one guy got killed was because he was stupid and bad luck and did not wait for another guy to go in their with them to cover his back. Overall they should have stayed with the trucks and the trucks with the convoy.

Were is their ammo?

Looks like they are using WW2 style first aid.

Dress uniforms were messed up, were were their Beret emblems.

Mas Cas area look like *beep* and the fobs are unrealistic. Why is Jackson Character even outside the wire on a convo.

Now the Pros

The convoy did its job and got the hell out of dodge.

The mount was not great but it was ok.

Good 360 security on the convoy before the ambush.

Jackson character and other team leaders did a good job keeping their soldiers head in the game.

Excellent portrayal of the enemy and their tactics. Though most dress with faces uncovered because it makes them easier to blend in with the civi.

[–] justxme 15 years ago

All that may be correct but the point of the story was not to portray real live combat but it's psychological aftermath.

[–] Balcones 13 years ago

Powellok,

Thanks for the post, good info!

Were you or are you in the service? If so, thanks for your service.

[–] nikongal 14 years ago

Well, ericburkemper and jeffdenis, I doubt you'll be back on this page since you posted so long ago, but maybe this will help more recent visitors:

The New England Center for Homeless Veterans -- which used to be the N.E. *Shelter* for Homeless Vets, but changed its name to reflect its expansion of services -- has been in existence in Boston for over 20 years. Feel free to read about the Center's history at http://www.nechv.org/historyatnechv.html, or just go to the main page at http://www.nechv.org/ for more general information about homeless veterans.

No movie required.

Tho it is dark . . . know our flag . . . is still there.

ABC = Already Been Canceled.

[–] SaudiUtah 14 years ago

My understanding is that a lot of the Homeless were Vietnam Vets not just Vets.

Due to the lack of support they recieved coming back from Vietnam. Since it was an unpopular war that the US tends to think that we lost.

[–] Balcones 13 years ago

"Soldiers were never "spat on" when they came back from Vietnam."

Some were. I personally have a friend that was stationed in Germany during the Vietnam war. When he came home he was spit on. It didn't matter that he was never in Vietnam, only that he was wearing a uniform.

Men and women served their country, and there were those that were selfish and despicable and did not appreciate their service. And now there are people that want to deny that vets were treated badly. To each their own I guess.

[–] bhilburn 10 years ago

The ones who deny it probably were the ones who did it.

"check the imdb cast list before asking who portrayed who in movies please"