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RESTREPO is a feature-length documentary that chronicles the deployment of a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley. The movie focuses on a remote 15-man outpost, "Restrepo," named after a platoon medic who was killed in action. It was considered one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. military. This is an entirely experiential film: the cameras never leave the valley; there are no interviews with generals or diplomats. The only goal is to make viewers feel as if they have just been through a 90-minute deployment. This is war, full stop. The conclusions are up to you. (official distributor synopsis)
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Restrepo is an advanced combat outpost of the US army in the militarily most exposed area of the Afghan battlefield, which bore the brunt of the clashes with the Taliban at a time when the US administration wanted to showcase itself as the victor where several other armies, including the Soviets and the British, had previously failed. It cannot be compared to the similarly themed Danish documentary Armadillo, which I find considerably smarter, more mature in terms of filmmaking, and much better at analyzing the typical low-intensity warfare that the Afghan battlefield represents. Restrepo is more action-packed partly because there was indeed more combat activity there, and partly because American filmmakers feel that the audience deserves some excitement, with camera shaking and emotional outbursts like "They're around the corner!" Overall impression: 55%.
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