In my quest to read books that are being made into movies this year, I got this one in reverse order. I watched the film Lone Survivor before I even started the book. I am starting the read later today. This film is exceptional. It takes a gritty and realistic look at the horror that is war without the patriotic propaganda, yet still honors the men who walk into those dangerous situations for all the right reasons.
Mark Wahlberg turns in another great performance and it is always good to see my boy Riggins (Taylor Kitsch) getting more roles. Peter Berg continues to be one of my favorite directors with this home run. (He did Friday Night Lights (in which I had a role as an extra), Hancock, Battleship etc.) In fact, he was trying to make this film before he made Battleship but Universal Studios talked him into switching the order. Berg, who does more acting than direction, even appeared in a cameo as one of the veteran soldiers.
The action sequences (especially when bodies are flailing down the side of a mountain and slamming rocks all the way) are shot so well. As Dawn said, “they were snapping a lot of celery in that film.” This is a nod to the foley artists who use the sound of snapping celery to make a bone break sound gritty and realistic.
There is a lot of violence and a lot of cursing, but it didn’t detract from the story as if there is ever a time to toss out an F-bomb – when a RPG is blowing chunks out of the boulder protecting you from 100 soldiers firing AK-47s is probably a good time.
I am really looking forward to reading the book after hearing from several people that it is even better.
RATING 9 out of 10 
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