Gunner Palace

Year: 2004

Grade: B

Country: USA

Director: Epperlein/Tucker

Review

iraq war told from the point of view of soldiers who occupy one of hussein’s old palaces. it shows the good and the bad of the soldiers and that’s commendable. i think it’s a fairly moderate portrait of the situation over there from a soldier’s standpoint. at one point in the documentary one of the soldiers remarks that people will probably watch the film and forget about their (the soldiers’) condition after leaving the theater. i think he’s probably right overall, but a bit cynical. i know i won’t forget – just like i can’t forget a film like dark days. it’s not a particularly amazing film, it drags a bit here and there; the musical interludes, though nice, are a bit too frequent; and i would have like more probing questions to be asked. but overall it’s the best documentary i’ve seen so far on the iraq war and its actual consequences on americans over there. it shows pretty clearly an obvious point – war fucking sucks, for everyone involved.