Top-Rated Episodes
S1.E5
As they scope a tiny hamlet, the men of Bravo are frustrated by the capricious nature of the war, and Colbert struggles to defend the actions of the higher-ups. Meanwhile, First Recon runs into a ...
S1.E7
Bravo reaches Baghdad, where the men are shocked by the sheer size and scope of the city. As their time there comes to an end, the Marines take inventory and reflect--even as tensions boil over and ...
S1.E3
Having survived its first trial by fire, Bravo presses forward, awaiting orders for a new recon mission. Scoping out a roadside hamlet, the company watches in horror and disbelief as a regimental ...
Related News
-
Emmy spotlight: Hulu’s ‘Catch-22’ is a searing satire on the futility and insanity of war
13 June 2019 | Gold Derby -
10 Things You Didn’t Know about Owain Yeoman
11 May 2019 | TVovermind.com -
The Awesomely Terrifying First Trailer for It: Chapter 2 Has Arrived
09 May 2019 | GeekTyrant
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: Generation Kill (2008)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
Learn more
More Like This
The Pacific
(2010)
Action
|
Adventure
|
Drama
Stars:
James Badge Dale,
Joseph Mazzello,
Jon Seda
Band of Brothers
(2001)
Action
|
Drama
|
History
Stars:
Scott Grimes,
Damian Lewis,
Ron Livingston
Boardwalk Empire
(2010–2014)
Crime
|
Drama
|
History
Stars:
Steve Buscemi,
Kelly Macdonald,
Michael Shannon
Edit
Cast
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
Following multiple recon marines during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, a group of mixed personalities, you see the dysfunctionality of the military, and on other times, how formalized and heroic it can be. A Rolling Stones reporter joins reconnaissance marines invading Iraq and recounts the mix of horrors and hilarity he encounters during his time there. Written by Ernie Mastroianni
Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
Edit
See full technical specs »
Details
Language:
EnglishRelease Date:
13 July 2008 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Generation Kill See more »Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.78 : 1
Edit
Did You Know?
Trivia
At the very beginning of the fourth episode, as the camera pans under the truck, a voice off-screen is heard saying, "Hey white boy. What chu waitin for? That hole ain't gonna dig itself. Go on and get your dick skin on that thing boy and dig, dig" This is a line from spoken by Junior in Platoon. See more »Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.Contribute to This Page
Explore popular and recently added TV series available to stream now with Prime Video.
I had heard of "Generation Kill" when it premiered in 2008, but was unable to view since I do not have HBO. So I forgot about it for a while until some time ago I was looking around at the local library when I just happened to sight this little, television masterpiece, and decided, especially in light of what the result of our adventure in Iraq has been in the last few years, to give it a chance. And though I can't say "Generation Kill" was necessarily my favorite viewing experience, I'm glad I did. Based off of the memoirs of a Rolling Stone reporter embedded with the 1st Marine Recon Unit during the first days of the US invasion of Iraq, it begins on the eve of that faithful event by introducing the viewer to the men of 1st Marine Recon (many of whom are based off of real life Marines), their code, standards, and every day experience. When they learn that the invasion is going ahead, they also learn that a reporter from Rolling Stone will be coming with them. Initially reluctant to having a greenhorn tag along with them, they warm up to the young writer when they learn he used to write for Penthouse, a magazine many of these young, red blooded males are familiar with! Through the production, we see the course of events through the eyes of the Marines and their "hang around" in a the most unsugar coated method possible, and we come away with no illusions about what war is really like.
What makes "Generation Kill" so different from other war productions is the fact that it strips away the unnecessary fluff and puff and presents the story in an almost character ensemble/documentary style. In "Generation Kill" there is no music score or opening theme, only the crackle and chatter of voices over the radio greets us at the beginning and end credits of each episode, multiple units and men sounding off into the dead of night, which truth be told, is far more effective than any music theme could be (That being said, the final scenes of the last episode feature a most appropriate use of Johnny Cash's "The Man Comes Around", the only recorded song used in the entire series). There is also not much in the way of heroics or glory for the simple reason that in war, there is none to be found. There are no eagles soaring, or glory sounding tunes, or any other BS like that; only following the orders of your superiors (Even if they're complete fools or incompetent), hurrying up and waiting, and of course, death and destruction.
And that last part is especially evident in "Generation", as the series pulls no punches in regards to the civilian "collateral damage" that occurred in Iraq during our invasion, and thus shows the cost civilians pay when armies, even with the best of intentions, come charging into their environment in a combat role (To those who think US troops patrolling troubled neighborhoods would be a good idea, I challenge them to watch this and then try to argue for that idea!). All of this is effectively shown through the tremendous efforts of the directors, producers, show runners, writers, and actors such as Jon Huertas, Alexander Skarsgard, Lee Tergesen, Stark Sands, Neal Jones, Michael Kelly, Chance Kelly, former real life 1st Marine Rudy Reyes, James Ransone, and many, many more who I don't have the space for. To round it up, "Generation Kill" is a mini-series that leaves nothing to the imagination when it comes to the chaos and absurd nature of conflict, be it Iraq or anywhere else. As one former Marine commented here, this is the closet thing to war short of going there and actually filming it. For a former service member to say that, you know they did something right here. If you want to see what the reality of conflict without actually being there, then check out "Generation Kill". Stay frosty.