Monday, September 6, 2010

Generation Kill

Generation Kill is a 2008 HBO television miniseries (now out on DVD) based on the book of the same name by Evan Wright about his experience as an embedded reporter with the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion‎ of the United States Marine Corps during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The majority of the characters were drawn from the Second Platoon of the First Reconnaissance Battalion's Bravo Company. Lee Tergesen played embedded reporter Evan Wright. Wright was assigned to the lead vehicle of Bravo Company, which he shared with Sergeant Brad 'Iceman' Colbert, played by Alexander Skarsgård, Corporal Josh Ray Person, played by James Ransone and Lance Corporal Harold James Trombley, played by Billy Lush.



It's FORTY days of combat compressed into seven hours. Seven hours of pulsating, heart-thumping, no-holds-barred battle.  Nothing that Hollywood has dished out so far - especially on the Iraq War - comes close to this in its wrenching realism. This is as real as it gets. There is the liberal use of military jargon without explanation. For those who cannot understand, you can easily refer to the glossary (Learn the Lingo) provided in the Generation Kill website.


First Recon Marine, Sgt. Rudy Reyes is the only actor cast in the miniseries to portray himself.


This is now out on DVD and I highly recommend it to military buffs everywhere! Get some!

This came out at the right time since President Barack Hussein Obama declared in a speech at the Oval Office on 31 August 2010: "the American combat mission in Iraq has ended. Operation Iraqi Freedom is over, and the Iraqi people now have lead responsibility for the security of their country."


This comes seven years and five months after the US-led invasion, and after the last American combat brigade left Iraq on August 19, 2010.


7 comments:

ethan said...

Hi Alex,
I always wonder what is that "square pad" near the muzzle does? (since i'm no military guy that likes military stuffs :) )

My wild guess: Is it an electronic device that provide 'red crosshair' on the rifle's scope?

alex teo said...

Hi ethan

The AN/PEQ-2 Target Pointer/ Illuminator/ Aiming Light (TPIAL) is a laser sight for use on rifles. The AN/PEQ-2 has two infrared laser emitters—one narrow beam used for aiming the rifle, and one wide beam used for illuminating targets, like a flashlight. The beams can only be seen through night vision goggles.

CHEERS, now u know ;>

ethan said...

That's a great info. Thanks Alex for pointing this out.

Appreciate it.

actfigman said...

great Iraq War series...the Iraq war version of Band of Brothers...The Pacific wasn't great...lets face it...

alex teo said...

yup - Band of Brothers and Generation Kill gets my two thumbs up :) The Pacific didn't do it for me too, a little disappointed after having seen such GREAT stories for the previous two. The Pacific just didn't live up to expectations :(

WL said...

I slept thru most of the pacific...

Was it tropical heat..?

WL

alex teo said...

ha ha WL most definitely the heat but then again, we shouldn't be blaming the weather for bad script :>