My knowledge of this film was limited when I sat down to watch:
- Directed by a woman
- Written by a reporter imbedded with an EOD unit
- Shot on location (turns out this isn’t true, but Kuwait and Jordan are close)
- It’s the unit a friend of mine was in for three years
The unique perspective of a journalist second one is reason enough to watch. When the movie was originally released the title had buzz. I assumed (made an ass out of you and me, or really just me) it was horror/gore. No idea why. But now it is Christmas time and screener season and a perfect time to watch.
The movie could have been stronger, but it still stands above a lot of war movies out there. A glimpse into a dangerous unit some don’t even know exists. Handheld super 16? Okay, sounds fun. Freestanding scenes written to get the most out of the moment? Excellent*. A non-narrative character film? Fitting.
(*Thinking of the scene with the little building and flat tire. Which was well done for dramatic purposes, and I liked it while watching it. The second time I though about it though there seemed to be a lot of flaws and dumb things going on.)
The characters are garnishing a lot of attention, especially SSgt. William James. Having not been in the unit nor the service I’ll withhold judgment on if he’d be allowed in that unit with his techniques. As far as the character goes, it worked for me. There wasn’t as much character development in the rest of the unit. Spc. Owen Eldridge was as interesting to me as the lead was. 
It would have been an effective study to develop alongside fulfilling the opening quote through James. The best part of the lack of a real storyline was the sense of the mundane life of a soldier. Even with their daily routine consisting of disarming unknown bombs and being shot at. There is no happy heroic arch, it is day after day after day. Seems accurate from the stories I’ve heard.
That is not to say that the film is boring. That’s the beauty of following the Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) unit. It’s suspenseful, and the more you get to know the characters the more you are rooting for the title to reach zero days left in Bravo Company’s rotation. The movie hits you deeper when you remember that the actors are portraying a unit that is currently living what you’re watching. Reflecting upon the film has made me like it less.
It’s a good movie. Worth watching. Worth taking the time to digest. Worth discussing afterwards. And like we did, you can start with the music used in the final scene. Because, while everything seemed to fit up until that moment, oh my goodness was it a pretty bad choice.
“The rush of battle is often a potent and lethal addiction, for war is a drug.” –Chris Hedges
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