Generation Kill

Based on the memoir by Evan Wright, a Rolling Stone reporter embedded with a battalion of Reconnaissance Marines that spearheaded the initial invasion of Iraq during the spring of 2003, this seven-part HBO series covers the squad's difficult drive from the border, first to Baqubah and then on to Baghdad. Aside from a handful of powerful documentaries, the Iraq War has been a tough sell with commercial audiences, but Generation Kill—from David Simon, creator of The Wire—stands out, successfully capturing interactions between the soldiers (marked by raucous behavior, off-color jokes, and the inevitable periodic dust-ups with one another and their officers) while also viscerally recreating the battlefield experience. Although the troops enter the fray with a gung-ho attitude, after repeated contact with hostile forces and the civilian population, the soldiers begin to experience mixed emotions, leading to a loss of idealistic certainty. A sad note of irony is sounded when one warrior remarks, near the end of the six-week mission, that the campaign could take longer than expected—maybe all summer. DVD extras include audio commentaries, a “making-of” featurette, a video diary by actor Eric Ladin, a discussion with Wright and real members of the battalion, deleted dialogue, and a booklet with a mission map and glossary of technical and slang terms. A first-rate ensemble piece with sterling production values, this is highly recommended. (F. Swietek)[Blu-ray Review—June 23, 2009—HBO, 3 discs, 470 min., TV-MA, $79.98—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 2008's Generation Kill sports an excellent transfer and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio sound. Blu-ray extras ported over from the original DVD release include six audio commentaries, a half-hour video diary by actor Eric Ladin, a 25-minute “making-of” featurette, a discussion with Wright and real members of the battalion (24 min.), and deleted dialogue. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are three interactive pop-up features—a “Military Glossary,” a “Chain of Command Chart,” and “Mission Maps”—that can be viewed during the episodes. Bottom line: a welcome Blu-ray debut of a powerful HBO miniseries.]