Broadcast recently on Channel 4 as part of its so-called 'Coming Up' season highlighting new and original talent in the media sector, 'And Kill Them' is a short film by Miranda Bowen concerning the tribulations of six soldiers as they complete basic training. Though only 26 minutes long, 'And Kill Them' is filled with stark visual metaphors building on one another to form a somewhat harsh critique against the army, one that would resonate with much of the civilian population given the current anti Afghanistan/Iraq climate and anxiety-inducing reporting by the tabloids.
The story focuses predominantly on Private Lawrence and the lingering doubts he faces after having signed on the dotted line and subsequent immersion into army life. These doubts manifest themselves schizophrenically in the form of an imaginary pin-up model who communicates to Lawrence at inopportune times and lands him, and the rest of his section, into trouble. When the woman breaks the fourth wall and explains to the audience that Lawrence will "be dead in the next five months if he completes his training" (that's right, it only takes 5 months to go from civilian to rifle-wielding badass), it becomes clear that she is trying to prevent him from completing his training. Lawrence overcomes this psychological battle through the formation of a camaraderie with the rest of his section, thus destroying the woman and any fears regarding dying he harbors after joining up. And that's pretty much where it stops being interesting. The remaining ten minutes concerns the typical "Let's be mates forever!" and "Banter! Mostly revolving around sex with homoerotic overtones!" which lowers the standard a little considering how strong the first two thirds of the film were.
Though an overly simplistic outlook on what it means to be a solider (you die quickly in Basra or somewhere...right), 'And Kill Them' is a thought provoking insight into the worries which may beset a recruit during their first weeks in the armed forces and although it eventually loses its footing, this doesn't prevent the final scene in which the six guys lie in their beds with their blankets covering their heads and bodies (representing body bags) accompanied only by the sound of gunfire from being any less haunting or poignant.
