Battle for Haditha (2007)

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.

Director:

Nick Broomfield

Writers:

Nick Broomfield, Marc Hoeferlin

Stars:

Matthew Knoll, Elliot Ruiz, Eric Mehalacopoulos

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Matthew Knoll	...	Cpl. Matthews (as Matthew R. Knoll)
Elliot Ruiz	...	Cpl. Ramirez
Eric Mehalacopoulos	...	Sgt. Ross
Nathan De La Cruz	...	Cpl. Marcus
Andrew McLaren	...	Capt. Sampson
Jase Willette	...	Pfc. Cuthbert
Thomas Hennessy	...	Doc (as Thomas Hennessy Jr.)
Tony Spencer	...	Pfc. Roberts
Vernon Gaines	...	Lance Corporal Sosa
Antonio Tostado	...	Lance Corporal Jimenez
Ali Adil Disher	...	Iraqi Translator (as Ali Adil Aj-kaa)
Yasmine Hanani	...	Hiba
Siham Rashid	...	Asma
Majd Hijjawi	...	Woman shot in street
Falah Abraheem Flayeh	...	Ahmad (as Falah Flayeh)

Storyline

In November 2005, US Marines fell into an ambush by Iraqi insurgents and one officer got killed. The reprisals by the Americans were frightening, resulting in the massacre of 24 people, many of whom were women and children. "Battle for Haditha" is the faithful account of this tragic event which scandalized the world.

---

Plot Keywords:

marine | roadside bomb | hairy chest | bare chested male | house to house search | 

---

Taglines:

There are many ways to see the same story

---

Genres:

Drama | History | War

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

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

Did You Know?

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.

---

Goofs

Some of the U.S. Marines in the film are seen with Colt Model 727 carbines, although that weapon had long been fully replaced by the M4A1 by the time the film took place (late 2005).

---

Connections

References Breaking News (2004)

User Reviews

A story that needed to be told

It's almost impossible to be totally objective regarding a subject about which one is truly passionate. The war in Iraq is a subject that divides people like no other in recent times. As with any conflict, the war in Iraq has its supporters and its detractors. There is no middle ground. There are no grey areas: everything is just black or white. Either you believe it's a justifiable war, or you don't. This brings me to Nick Broomfield's new film, "The Battle For Haditha". The subject of the film is controversial as it deals with an incident in the city of Haditha, allegedly involving the US Marines. Broomfield uses actors, some of whom are former US Marines and Iraq veterans, as well as Iraqi refugees, to fashion a film that successfully straddles the gap between a regular documentary and a straightforward feature film. The film encompasses three points of view: those of the Marines, the insurgents, and the families who lived near where the roadside bomb detonated. This film is a fictionalised account of what actually happened at Haditha. It shows quite graphically, the horrors of war and what the Americans as well as innocent Iraqis have to go through almost on a daily basis. There are deaths on both sides, but it's Iraqi civilians who are caught in the crossfire and who have to bear the brunt of dealing with men who have been stretched to breaking point. The film in no way condones the actions of either the insurgents or the Marines. It just shows the audience what might have occurred on that fateful day, and it's for those in the audience to make up their own minds as to who was in the right and who was in the wrong. When reading some of the comments posted on the message board for this film, I find it somewhat puzzling that some contributors write that "Battle For Haditha" is anti-American. Just because the US Marines are shown in a less than sympathetic light in this film, does not mean the film is on the side of the insurgents. What the film does demonstrate is how quickly things can get out of hand, in a situation such as that in Haditha. By all means criticize a film on its merits, or lack of them. Please, though, do not label this film as un-American just because it doesn't fit a blinkered view of the way the world is.

Details

Official Sites:

Surreal [France]

Country:

UK

Language:

English Arabic

Release Date:

7 May 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Batalha por Haditha

Filming Locations:

Jordan

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,982, 11 May 2008

Gross USA:

$10,310

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$245,521

Company Credits

Production Co:

Channel Four Films, Film4, HanWay Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1