Battle for Haditha (2007)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Nick Broomfield

Writers:

Nick Broomfield (written by)
Marc Hoeferlin (written by)

Release Date:

7 May 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

There are many ways to see the same story

Plot:

An investigation of the massacre of 24 men, women and children in Haditha, Iraq allegedly shot by 4 U.S. Marines in retaliation for the death of a U.S. Marine killed by a roadside bomb. The movie follows the story of the Marines of Kilo Company, an Iraqi family, and the insurgents who plant the roadside bomb. |

Plot Keywords:

Marine | Roadside Bomb | Iraq War | Based On Actual Events | Al Qaeda

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Matthew Knoll	...	Cpl. Matthews (as Matthew R. Knoll)
Eric Mehalacopoulos	...	Sgt. Ross
Nathan De La Cruz	...	Cpl. Marcus
Elliot Ruiz	...	Cpl. Ramirez
Jase Willette	...	Pfc. Cuthbert
Thomas Hennessy	...	Doc (as Thomas Hennessy Jr.)
Tony Spencer	...	Pfc. Roberts
Vernon Gaines	...	Lcpl. Sosa
Antonio Tostado	...	Lcpl. Jimenez
Ali Adil Aj-kaa	...	Iraqi Translator
Yasmine Hanani	...	Hiba
Siham Rashid	...	Asma
Majd Hijjawi	...	Woman shot in street
Falah Abraheem Flayeh	...	Ahmad (as Falah Flayeh)
Juliet Koshaba	...	Saba

Also Known As:

Untitled Nick Broomfield/Haditha Documentary (UK) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for war violence, disturbing images, and for pervasive language.

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Arabic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | Germany:16 | USA:R | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Jerash, Jordan

Company:

Channel Four Films

Trivia:

The film was shot in an unconventional way whereas instead of a detailed script, there was only an outline of each scene and where the story was going. Actors would then improvise much of the dialogue based on director Nick Broomfield's instructions.

Powerful & Provocative Film

I saw this film at it's London premiere at the Odeon West End as part of the London Film Festival.

I guess Nick Broomfield was getting sick & tired of seeing Michael Moore ripping off his Documentary style so made this his Second feature film in as many years. Like the earlier film, Ghosts (www.imdb.com/title/tt0872202/), the Battle for Haditha is based on fact.

The film tells story of the events of November 19, 2005, when a troop of US Marines exact revenge for an earlier attack which killed one of their number in the Iraqi town of Haditha.

The Film focuses on three different viewpoints, the first of Iraqi insurgents, which in this case isn't some mad Mullah but an old man, who we learn is an ex-Army officer and his son. The second focuses on a Corporal Ruiz, a young Marine who you feel wants to be anywhere but Iraqi and the finally the film focuses on a young Iraqi couple and their extended family.

The film is shot Cinéma-vérité style and at times is very harrowing. But it's to Broomfields credit that he to my mind he doesn't simply demonize the US soldiers. Instead you get to understand how young men put in a situation that you the viewer couldn't understand let alone cope with, could just lose it after a comrade is killed. Likewise, in the films portrayal of the insurgent fighters Broomfield manages to make you think what would you do, if, as in the film, your a professional soldier made jobless by a an Occupying force. How do you feed your family, and wouldn't you feel some resentment to the occupation forces for making you jobless. But it's in the Iraqi families, caught between the US forces and the Insurgents that the film is at it's best. They can't do the right thing for doing wrong. It is they who bear the brunt of either Insurgency retaliation or US Forces heavy-handedness. They who ultimately will and are the losers in Film.

This is a powerful film which deals with all aspects of the problem fair mindedly, but doesn't shy away from the truth. Don't let those who haven't watched the film put you off seeing the best portrayal of the War on Terror to date.

Black Narcissus

http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=14198203