Easy Company advances towards the German held town of Foy.
'Breaking Pointing' is one of the most powerful examples of filmmaking I have ever experienced, but it could have done with a bit more information relating to Lieutenant Norman Dyke.
I am part of a generation born in a liberal western democracy who is lucky enough not to have gone through what the soldiers and civilians of WWII experienced. Episodes like this remind me how privileged I am for the sacrifices made by members of that generation.
It depicts not just the physical, but the mental suffering associated with the attrition of Easy Company. In doing so there is heavy focus on individuals who got through the trauma and those who could not take anymore death and suffering. This is the best aspect of the episode and I personally find it heartbreaking to watch. What makes it even more hard hitting are the introductory interviews that show someone recalling incidents many years later that still reduce them to tears.
The battle sequences are intense, frightening, and it is upsetting to see what happens to various individuals. That is what depictions of warfare should be like and you have to appreciate the filmmaking craft on display. Whether or not is a truly authentic representation of the events depicted, only those who were there are qualified to comment, certainly not me.
My only criticism is that the portrayal of Lieutenant Dyke misses some important information. Most accounts of him reflect how he is generally portrayed in the episode, but in my own research I discovered he was awarded two bronze stars for his actions in Holland and Bastogne. Also there are conflicting accounts about the circumstances leading to him being relieved by Lieutenant Speirs. One account states he had been shot in the shoulder just before he stopped the advance. The writer of this episode appears to have quite harshly assassinated Dyke's character to serve the dramatic tension of the narrative, which is a shame. I think if there is important information on record about an actual person it should be presented along with everything else used to immortalise them on screen. This for me slightly taints an otherwise brilliant episode.
All performances are superb as usual, especially Neal McDonough, Damian Lewis, and Donnie Wahlberg.
'Breaking Pointing' is one of the most powerful examples of filmmaking I have ever experienced, but it could have done with a bit more information relating to Lieutenant Norman Dyke.
I am part of a generation born in a liberal western democracy who is lucky enough not to have gone through what the soldiers and civilians of WWII experienced. Episodes like this remind me how privileged I am for the sacrifices made by members of that generation.
It depicts not just the physical, but the mental suffering associated with the attrition of Easy Company. In doing so there is heavy focus on individuals who got through the trauma and those who could not take anymore death and suffering. This is the best aspect of the episode and I personally find it heartbreaking to watch. What makes it even more hard hitting are the introductory interviews that show someone recalling incidents many years later that still reduce them to tears.
The battle sequences are intense, frightening, and it is upsetting to see what happens to various individuals. That is what depictions of warfare should be like and you have to appreciate the filmmaking craft on display. Whether or not is a truly authentic representation of the events depicted, only those who were there are qualified to comment, certainly not me.
My only criticism is that the portrayal of Lieutenant Dyke misses some important information. Most accounts of him reflect how he is generally portrayed in the episode, but in my own research I discovered he was awarded two bronze stars for his actions in Holland and Bastogne. Also there are conflicting accounts about the circumstances leading to him being relieved by Lieutenant Speirs. One account states he had been shot in the shoulder just before he stopped the advance. The writer of this episode appears to have quite harshly assassinated Dyke's character to serve the dramatic tension of the narrative, which is a shame. I think if there is important information on record about an actual person it should be presented along with everything else used to immortalise them on screen. This for me slightly taints an otherwise brilliant episode.
All performances are superb as usual, especially Neal McDonough, Damian Lewis, and Donnie Wahlberg.