The Hornet's Nest (2014)

Armed only with their cameras, Peabody and Emmy Award-winning conflict Journalist Mike Boettcher, and his son, Carlos, provide unprecedented access into the longest war in U.S. history.

Directors:

David Salzberg, Christian Tureaud

Stars:

Frank Adamski, Ofren Arrechaga, Ed Bankston

Cast

Credited cast:
Frank Adamski	...	Himself (as SSG Frank Adamski)
Ofren Arrechaga	...	Himself (as SFC Ofren Arrechaga)
Ed Bankston	...	Himself (as Cpt Ed Bankston)
Carlos Boettcher	...	Himself
Mike Boettcher	...	Himself
Bryan Burgess	...	Himself (as SSG Bryan Burgess)
Christian Cabaniss	...	Himself (as Lt Col Christian Cabaniss)
Jeremy Faulkner	...	Himself (as PFC Jeremy Faulkner)
Dustin Feldhaus	...	Himself (as SPC Dustin Feldhaus)
Chris Fields	...	Himself (as CSM Chris Fields)
Brit Jacobs	...	Soldier
Jameson Lindskog	...	Himself (as SPC Jameson Lindskog)
Steve Lutsky	...	Himself (as Lt Col Steven Lutsky)
Kevin Mott	...	Himself (as Cpt Kevin Mott)
Tye Reedy	...	Himself (as Cpt Tye Reedy)

Storyline

Career Journalist Mike Boettcher takes his son to the war zone in Afghanistan, covering U.S. Combat Troops on the front lines. What starts out as an effort to reconnect with his son, becomes a remarkable true story and fight for survival for all.

---

Taglines:

Real War Real Heroes

---

Genres:

Documentary | Action | History | War

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language throughout

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Facebook

Country:

Afghanistan USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 May 2014 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Kunar Province, Afghanistan

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$26,550, 11 May 2014, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$311,975, 25 July 2014

Company Credits

Production Co:

HighRoad Entertainment,BASE Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

While the main story is focused on members of the 327th Infantry Regiment, of the 101st Airborne Division, some of the early units shown include members of the 25th Infantry Division, and the 187th Infantry Regiment, the Rakkasans, also of the 101st Airborne Div.

---

Soundtracks

Last One Home
Written by: Michael Trella
Lyrics by: Michael Trella and Annika Horne
Performed by: Annika Horne

User Reviews

Disconnected by the use of fake sound effects and cheap thrills

I would have to wholeheartedly agree with the most popular reviews here such as "tmiller163" and "jmcfrancis." The entire story feels very contrived and almost like I am watching those ubiquitous reality TV shows most Americans can't get enough of.

Being an avid combat-footage junkie, I would say I have a pretty good idea of what to expect when it comes to watching an authentic firefight. I know what a whizzing bullet would sound like, and ESPECIALLY what one wouldn't sound like. In this film, I was completely disconnected from any verisimilitude by the use of cheap bullet sound effects. The whole thing seemed forcefully done for the purpose of sensationalism.

It even felt as if Mike was in on the hype by using cheap editing tricks to make certain shots seem WAY more dramatic than they actually were. Again, I felt like I was watching "World's Wildest Firefights Caught on Camera" instead of genuine raw combat footage. Which is a shame because the real story here should've focused on the soldiers and the high price they pay fighting America's wars.

I didn't dislike the film entirely, the last 20 minutes made up for what the film was lacking in.

But if you guys really want to see what The War in Afghanistan looks like, I would stick to films such as "Restrepo" or "Armadillo." No cheap sound-effects used there, just pure-unadulterated storytelling.