Korengal

Sebastian Junger and the late Tim Hetherington's 2010 documentary Restrepo employed embedded footage shot in 2007-2008 featuring an American platoon in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley to present a viscerally potent cinematic portrait of the combat experience. Now, Junger has returned with a complementary film told from the perspective of the soldiers both during and after completion of their tours. While Restrepo concentrated on the fighting, Korengal is more ruminative, drawing on interviews with soldiers at the base and later back in the U.S. The overwhelming feeling here is one of camaraderie: even the sole African-American soldier—who admits to sensing hostility from his comrades—claims that he would sacrifice himself for fellow soldiers, and he is certain they would do the same for him. The interviewees also agree about the excitement of combat, the adrenaline rush brought on by a firefight—something the soldiers miss when they return home. But there is also a good deal of ambivalence here: one soldier talks about the kick of shooting a foe and watching him fall, while another speaks disparagingly of the idea that he was only doing what he had to, noting that he had a choice, and he chose to kill. Still, there's a profound sadness in the latter's recollection, suggesting he understands that even when doing right one can still be doing wrong. A powerful look at the psychological aftermath of war, this is recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Sebastian Junger, an excerpt from Junger's TED talk “Why Veterans Miss War” (13 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a hard-hitting documentary.] (F. Swietek)