The Ground Truth (DVD, 2006) 25193207029 | eBay (2024)

sept. 27, 2006

Compelling but One-Sided

Do not expect a balanced depiction of the "truth", but don't think that the accounts of these veterans of the Iraqi & Afghanistan wars can be easily dismissed. The major strength of the film is that it vividly portrays the words and war wounds of these vets and their post-war struggles to reconstruct some degree of normalcy and functionality to their lives. My major criticism of the film is twofold: it is one-sided and it advocates anti-war activism but nothing more to correct the serious shortcomings of the military's and Veterans Affairs' programs for helping those who've suffered and still suffer the traumas of war. I don't think these are fatal flaws of the film because they indirectly highlight the perennial “conflicting interests” of all ... Do not expect a balanced depiction of the "truth", but don't think that the accounts of these veterans of the Iraqi & Afghanistan wars can be easily dismissed. The major strength of the film is that it vividly portrays the words and war wounds of these vets and their post-war struggles to reconstruct some degree of normalcy and functionality to their lives. My major criticism of the film is twofold: it is one-sided and it advocates anti-war activism but nothing more to correct the serious shortcomings of the military's and Veterans Affairs' programs for helping those who've suffered and still suffer the traumas of war. I don't think these are fatal flaws of the film because they indirectly highlight the perennial “conflicting interests” of all governments – the need for highly motivated young men and women to serve in the military and the inability to properly honor and take care of the country’s veterans. As a veteran myself, I know that the horrible aftermath of war is real, and these young men and women articulate it very well. These vets vividly describe the physical and mental pain and torment that most veterans experience and that ordinary people will never be able to adequately understand because the horrors of ALL wars are beyond comprehension to those who've never been in a war zone.

déc. 05, 2006

the ground truth

The Ground Truth is being praised by the left and dismissed by the right. I did not feel after watching it that it came down so much to a political debate about the good or bad views of the current war in Iraq, but the consequences and outcomes that we don't see or realize. The ground truth is a film that should be viewed by anyone who wants to see the other side of war, the one usually not told. Forget the blurbs you see on your Television every night, and take a moment to view this film. The documentary rolls at a good pace as it spends half the time not interviewing soldiers, sailors and marines who have returned from Iraq, but lets them simply tell the story in their own words. It is not so much concentrated on tearing down the military or our government policies as much ... The Ground Truth is being praised by the left and dismissed by the right. I did not feel after watching it that it came down so much to a political debate about the good or bad views of the current war in Iraq, but the consequences and outcomes that we don't see or realize. The ground truth is a film that should be viewed by anyone who wants to see the other side of war, the one usually not told. Forget the blurbs you see on your Television every night, and take a moment to view this film. The documentary rolls at a good pace as it spends half the time not interviewing soldiers, sailors and marines who have returned from Iraq, but lets them simply tell the story in their own words. It is not so much concentrated on tearing down the military or our government policies as much as showing, at the same time, that the people coming back are facing something that nobody else can even relate to. Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. I found it very interesting when one young man was talking about coming home and when someone asked him what happened to his arm (which had to be amputated due to a combat injury) he replied "I lost it in Iraq". The response was "Whoa...you mean that's still going on?" The film does not pull any punches however, as it will come across at times as one sided, but why not? These men and women were there, why don't we listen to what they have to say? I don't think that's too much to ask. What I found ironic (though not surprising) was the parallels to Vietnam in the terms of how the bureaucratic process deals with these men and women after they come back home. The paperwork nightmare of trying to get help from the same people who sent them over there, in harms way in the first place, shows that we have not yet broken the cycle when it comes to our veterans. They are sent off to combat and come back needing physical, psychological and monetary assistance in all ranges and forms, yet continue to get the runaround with a large amount of red tape and denial of recognition of their situation. War is hell. It always has been. I know after watching this that I want to do everything I can to make sure that the veterans are not whisked aside and in some cases, reprimanded for speaking out about the war. The film does a good job showing us just how much combat these people are facing; some go for weeks without rest. It also showed how easily that the Iraqi civilians are killed, even though it may be accidental, just furthering the trauma that the living have to deal with when they survive and try to come home to assume, if they can, a civilian role in life again. Nightmares, tension, and sleepless nights coupled with a multitude of other issues now face them, and again, it was not surprising to learn that the same process that sent them off and could send many off again and again, is not doing everything in their power to help them when they return. Overall its a great documentary that I did not feel was at all in poor taste, but powerfully truthful in showing what combat veterans are going through today both on the battlefield and off.

janv. 29, 2024

Vets tell their own story.

A series of veterans give their own experiences as Iraq veterans. It is a horrors of war video showing that nobody wins a war. A series of veterans give their own experiences as Iraq veterans. It is a horrors of war video showing that nobody wins a war.

Achat vérifié: OuiÉtat: NeufVendu par: nutmegcollections

juin 27, 2017

Great documentary

Great movie Great movie

Achat vérifié: OuiÉtat: NeufVendu par: 9classic28