User reviews

Could have done without the contrived father/son drama at the start of the film, it was so bad I almost stopped watching it. Luckily I kept on watching it, it really picked up steam in the second half when the film was devoted to the 101st in operation strong eagle III. It really highlighted the sacrifice of the soldiers and their willingness to give all.

I was a civilian contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan, the losses and ceremonies commemorating them were always sad. The professionalism of the US troops, despite the politics and questionable nature of the Iraq War always made me proud.

Before starting, the movie was more-so a documentary on the journalist than it was the soldiers. It seemed the soldiers were sidelined the whole time and more of a side story for the journalists. Unlike Restrepo, the movie was pitched from the journalist's (Mike and Carlos Boetcher) point of view and mainly from Mike's point of view as the father. It isn't until the last 15 minutes of the movie that they seem to care at all about the soldiers, finally having interviews with them on their combat actions and their opinions, which even then seemed more like a 30 second piece than the reason for the movie.

The first major thing watching the movie to bug me, however, was that they felt the need to add a vast amount of sound effects. From added gun noises, to yelling, to bullet sounds, they would frequently place these added effects over the combat footage as if that combat (real combat) wasn't exciting enough. Being an Afghan War Veteran myself, I felt this was kind of a jab, to say that the soldier's actual stories and actual combat was not worthy of Hollywood. After also watching movies such as Restrepo, I feel this was completely unnecessary.

Those things aside, the movie wasn't awful. I do feel it should have been more about the actual soldiers and the war rather than Mike. I found it rather ironic as well that with him taking so much of the movie to direct to himself and his son, and take away from the soldiers, that he later goes on to say that he was trying to tell their stories.

Overall, for a civilian the movie will hopefully paint a slightly better picture on the war, and it was still done quite well. I just have my feelings on the side due to my past experiences.

First review of a movie and I plan to keep it short.

This "movie" is pretty dang good! I spend hours searching for good suggestions for movies on IMDb, but everyone has a different favorite genre. If you like this movie then here are another few you'll be sure to enjoy:

RESTREPO SEVERE CLEAR KORENGAL ARMADILLO BEASTS OF NO NATION

and some actual movies: Lone Survivor American SNIPER FULL METAL JACKET (crazy movie lol) BLACK HAWK DOWN etc.. I could go on forever but these are some good starters

ENJOY !

Can't believe the stupidity in these reviews. Giving a bad review because you don't understand or recognize the basic subject matter of the documentary? Smdh. You people are a disgrace to Americans. No wonder the world thinks we're idiots. You people do all you can to prove we are. Smfh.

The best parts are when neither Boettcher is on camera.

I have just finished watching this documentary. While some people are giving negative comments about the documentary and the journalists part in it. People are under the impression this was only to be about America's Military in Afghanistan. However, near the beginning Mike stated that he had sacrificed his family because he neglected them and choose to be a war correspondent. He felt he had this last chance to connect with his son and if he blew it he would lose his son.

Mike is an award winning journalist. He is a war correspondent. He has covered world conflict for 30 years, and was kidnapped and threatened with execution as well as been a survivor of suicide bombing. Carlos and Mike embedded themselves with U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division to bring their perspective of the war in Afghanistan. His coverage dates back to Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

Without journalists like him we would never be able to understand some of the things that happens in war. To see someone injured or who has died makes it so real for us. Every day men and women at war go to work everyday not knowing if they will die today. They hunt down the really bad men in this world and although I do not believe in the death penalty, I wont lose sleep if these kinds of men die.

Carlos and Mike were 2 different people in the end of the documentary then they were at the beginning of it. They finally had their connection, their bond as father and son.

I feel they have made sacrifices for us as well...

As most pointed out...the first half of this was horrible...however if you can get to the final 30-40 minutes...it's increible. The final 2-5 minutes are absolutely heart shattering...

I can't bring myself to give it less than 8/10...only because the men highlighted here who gave their lives may never get another chance to be seen/known. We all need to take that into account, if this is the only time we get to see their story...it deserves to be seen, and if we crush the rating to less than 6.0...that's going to be extremely low for a documentary, and guess what?? People will skip it...

So 10/10 for those brave soldiers...and 0/10 for the man attempting to make their glory his and his sons!!! Shame on him. Those men deserved the FULL time to be known!!!! They could've spent that time early on telling us about these young men we lost...no one cares about you and your sons relationship, pal!!!

~By Andrew Buncombe – 10 January 2011~

US forces have fired so many bullets in Iraq and Afghanistan - an estimated 250,000 for every insurgent killed - that American ammunition-makers cannot keep up with demand. As a result the US is having to import supplies from Israel.

A government report says that US forces are now using 1.8 billion rounds of small-arms ammunition a year. The total has more than doubled in five years, largely as a result of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as changes in military doctrine.

Based on this report, and further proved by this pathetic documentary, we have to think reversely from the insurgents' side: you have to guess how many bullets one insurgent used to kill one US combat soldier. Then you might know how poorly the US soldiers were trained. What we saw in this film can be summarized as follow:

1) Dodging bullets desperately and fired back blindly to the general direction where the bullets came from. 2) When pinned down by a single Taliban shooter, and wasted so many bullets in vain, they called the air strikes to save their butts.

This film also told us that before this old journalist retired, he wanted his son to get the high pay job in time before he was forced to get out of the combat zones. This was just a film showing how he got his son oriented before using his influence to recommend him to take over his job.

There's nothing that I could use to glorify our troops but shaking my head constantly and felt either embarrassed or pathetic. These poorly trained soldiers were wounded or died for nothing, and no wonder why these pathetic wars could never end and never won. We only need a few more well-trained snipers in these theaters instead of these pathetic "Inglorious Bastards" eating away our tax. I rest my case.

Putting songs you like over video footage doesn't make you a cinematographer. While a lot of the combat footage was good, the presentation was off. It felt very amateur and at times, overdramatic.

The film could have been much shorter too. The first half of the movie didn't really have much to do with the story, it was more about how the reporter's son tagged along this time because he wanted to know why his father had put his work before his family. It was a depressing concept that he kind of patted himself on the back for.

A lot of the reporter's commentary was outright annoying. I had very little respect for him.

The wars our soldiers have endured in Iraq and Afghanistan deserve the best possible understanding by an informed citizenry. This documentary is about as close to being shot in combat as you will get to see. Take off your political hat and just watch and listen to the bullets fly past. Men are killed in this documentary (though you don't get to see the incident). Men die because they can't be rescued in time. You get to see heart break their friends, sergeants and officers feel at the loss. I also recommend you read/listen to "The Good Soldiers" by David Filkens about our troops in Iraq. If you do all that--then you can really say the words: "Thank you for your service!"

Journalist Mike Boettcher and his son imbed with US troops in Afghanistan during a mission through Korengal Valley. Unfortunately, this documentary focuses entirely too much on the father son relationship, their personal experience as journalists, and how they personally dealt with their experience in the war.

The footage they filmed from this time frame was incredible. There are intimate shots of US troops in firefights, conversations with locals, and finding IEDs. I really enjoyed how well certain aspects of the conflict were captured, and it offered a point of view that is raw and minimally filtered. However, Boettcher overshadows the war effort and makes the film about him and his son, not the men they are embedded with. The storytelling about the conflict and the mission they were on was extremely poor and self centered.

At its core I love what this doccie does: it presents some front line perspectives of American soldiers fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. That in itself is impressive and at times harrowing.

But then the movie wraps itself in a jacket of awful ideas. The soundtrack feels ripped from every reality show made in the past few years. I almost started to expect a host from something like Fear Factor to show up. The storytelling is also very convoluted. It skims details and personalities, briefly introducing them before running to the next plot point.

While it goes out of its way to highlight the sacrifices made by the soldiers, The Hornet's Nest gives little clarity on what is going on half of the time. Other than bring across the intensity of firefights, much more isn't revealed.

But my biggest problems are the cheap narrative tricks. At times moments are made more dramatic than they are, especially if it involves one of the journalists potentially getting shot. This is done twice and both times it's more a trick of editing than what actually happened.

I'd liken this to Ross Kemp's Afghanistan doccies: intense, but vapid and a little bit exploitative. You don't come out of The Hornet's Nest learning much, other than Americans are great soldiers. If that is the point, this succeeds. But it could have done so much more with its material instead of feeling like a made-for-reality-TV special.

The Hornet's Nest will make you laugh, gasp, sigh, and sob. This is real footage of real soldiers in a battle as real as it can possibly get. Follow two teams with renown war journalist Mike Boettcher and his son Carlos as they engage an enemy known even to the locals as "Ghosts." Rejoice in the victories with the Marines and share grief with the men of No Slack as the battle reaches its climax. Filled with startling statistics that never reach American newspapers, The Hornet's Nest will have you griping your armrests as you follow Mike and Carlo's cameras into the heat of the day and the heat of the battle. This is not Hollywood. This is Afghanistan. It is the longest war in American History to date and it is still going on.

The Hornets Nest This was the best war documentary I have ever seen. It made you feel as if I was actually in the battles.

Mike B is a true hero for letting the world see what war is really like.

Risking his life and his sons takes real courage. My sons watched this film on DVD and they are now much more appreciative of all they have and what our Military goes through.

I watched other war docs after but they lacked some of the intensity found in this film. There is a lot of swearing but that is war. Get the DVD as it will be a movie you want to pass on to everyone.

I would have to wholeheartedly agree with the most popular reviews here such as "tmiller163" and "jmcfrancis." The entire story feels very contrived and almost like I am watching those ubiquitous reality TV shows most Americans can't get enough of.

Being an avid combat-footage junkie, I would say I have a pretty good idea of what to expect when it comes to watching an authentic firefight. I know what a whizzing bullet would sound like, and ESPECIALLY what one wouldn't sound like. In this film, I was completely disconnected from any verisimilitude by the use of cheap bullet sound effects. The whole thing seemed forcefully done for the purpose of sensationalism.

It even felt as if Mike was in on the hype by using cheap editing tricks to make certain shots seem WAY more dramatic than they actually were. Again, I felt like I was watching "World's Wildest Firefights Caught on Camera" instead of genuine raw combat footage. Which is a shame because the real story here should've focused on the soldiers and the high price they pay fighting America's wars.

I didn't dislike the film entirely, the last 20 minutes made up for what the film was lacking in.

But if you guys really want to see what The War in Afghanistan looks like, I would stick to films such as "Restrepo" or "Armadillo." No cheap sound-effects used there, just pure-unadulterated storytelling.

Is self glorification a job requirements for journalists?

I have always had the highest respect for people serving in our military, but this film really does bring home and highlight what happens on the battlefield. Regardless of your political views or your opinion of whether the US should be engaged in a specific war, this documentary puts you in the battle and shows you the true brotherhood and love that soldiers share among each other.

It also really shows how close soldiers get with one another and how they use jokes and other tactics to handle the extreme stress they face on the battlefield. When a soldier gets hit, you can tell that every one of them will do whatever it takes not to leave their brothers behind in battle.

The ending of this movie really stung. Having lost some of their buddies during a battle, you are drawn into the intense emotion that is felt by each soldier. There is so much love and respect among them all and it really drives home just how selfless many of these soldiers are and what they have to deal with during an intense engagement.

These women and men put everything on the line so we can enjoy a better way of life and a better society -- they are all true heroes and this documentary is a powerful reminder of that fact.

Ted Fujimoto Very rarely does a movie (especially a documentary) stop us in our tracks and cause us to look at the world and life differently. Leigh Rachel Faith and I went to a movie screening tonight that a friend David Salzberg Jr co-directed and co-produced. Whether you agree or disagree with our government's policies to go to war, this movie shakes you to your core and puts you on the front line of what our country's military women and men do in service of our country. This film has qualified to be voted on for consideration by the The Academy for an Oscar. We hope they will win. It would be well-deserved and be in honor of our men and women in the military who serve our country. This is an important movie to watch--so please do so and tell 10 other friends to watch it too.

"Everyone, especially non-military, should see this movie. Unless you've fought in a war, you have no idea what our service men and women go through, how close they become, or the incredible lengths to which they will go for one another," remarked Donna Walker, Gold Star Mother.

Col. J.B. Vowell, a career ARMY infantry officer and commanding officer of the Task Force No Slack in the 101st Airborne Division commented, "This film is and will be a phenomenal picture for a wide audience across the country. It is dramatic, unscripted, visceral and real. Nothing I have ever seen comes close. People in the general public who have so far been deprived of knowing and understanding what is happening in Afghanistan will be awed. It achieves what no screenplay can: it places you in the most harrowing combat scenes against a hostile enemy in the most complex terrain imaginable where buddies fight for each other's survival and mission accomplishment."

Rhonda Moore If you live anywhere near these places, go see this Film- Excellent work - you will not leave with dry eyes!!!!

Chuck Notter It was both amazing and humbling to see what the soldiers went thru on this deployment. Everyone should see this film great job Mike and Carlos Thank you

Audrey Shaw-Helmer(Gold Star Widow) I've seen the Hornet's Nest twice now and I'm still at a loss for words with what to say. Thank you so much for making this film and for telling the story of our soldiers

A great story about the bravery, commitment and compassion of those serving. Unfortunately it seemed at the end, the journalist chose to make it more about himself than those that truly deserved it. Very selfish.

Both are excellent, seat of your pants, documentaries. All men and women under 30 should see this movie and then go complain about how bad they have it. These are real men and women, America's best, and they are over there kicking butts and taking names. They don't fight for some "pie-in-the-sky" idea of America but they fight for each other. They are in a bad situation and trying to make it out all in one piece. So sad that our political leaders never learn from past mistakes and tie our military's hands behinds its back. I'm not real keen on Hollywood and what comes out of it. This is not part of that pathetic industry -- great movie, worth your time AND your money.

The action captured makes this worth watching. However, unlike documentaries like Restrapo, the cameraman/journalist makes himself the focus of the film He also has a much more melodramatic style than the journalists in other documentaries of this type.

It's still worth watching due to the action captured, but the cameraman irritated the crap out of me.

For those of us who are civilians, this is as close as we're going to get combat. Considering what you'll see, that's still almost too close.

This is a war documentary, not a war movie. I sincerely appreciate that it's on the big screen and not Discovery Channel or the former Military Channel. It has that "Iraq Diaries: Alpha Company" vibe to it...with a bit more danger. I'm also reminded of Sean Parnell's "Outlaw Platoon" memoir.

I'm glad I saw it, but it weighs heavy.

As an Army daughter, Navy wife, and Marine mother, I have the utmost respect for our Armed Forces. This documentary also shares my respect.