Apache Warrior (2017) User Reviews

Tight, well conceived and edited documentary

[RogerBorg · 8/10 · 23 October 2018]

I suspect there's just a dash of post production and CGI in there, but it's largely real cockpit footage and audio, intercut with interviews with the crews, and needs very little gilding.

The striking part is the stark contrast between the bold certainty of their training and mission preparations versus the confused clusterfuck that it rapidly degenerated into, all played out through the actual recorded footage and radio chatter.

It's not too jingoistic, nor triumphant, but they had that pretty comprehensively shot out of them. They say they learned a lot from their mistakes. I reckon if they'd asked the Russians about the advisability of flying over a bunch of restless natives - fousands of 'em - every one of them (and their mums) armed with AKs then they might not have been so confident to begin with.

Still, it's an interesting tale, compellingly told, and well worth the time.

Real Wartime Thriller

[martinrey-15593 · 8/10 · 1 December 2020]

Using video and audio from a real mission, Apache Warrior sends you on a thrilling journey following a US military helicopter gunship mission into Iraq. The pilots and crew guide you through the story using interviews and actual footage. The story is interesting and gripping for the 90 mins of runtime. Well done for a well constructed documentary that has plenty of drama on the way. It will also make you appreciate what these airman/women actually do. Well recommended.

Failure to Learn from the Past

[dncorp · 8/10 · 22 December 2020]

Father Chief Warrant Officer, 3 Tour Vietnam War U.S. Army Aviator Fixed Wing and Rotary Wing (Helicopter) Instrument Rated, Instructor Pilot, Examiner, found out later he also flew Fixed Wing Aircraft for the CIA. He constantly taught me to fly Fixed Wing, Rotary Wing.

He was one of the Creators of Nap of the Earth, NOE, and trained U.S. Army Aviators Republic of South Vietnam to do NOE.

Age 18 Graduated from Deutsch Gymnasium (High School), Deutsch Technical University, Department of Defense Schools High School Reserve Officer Training Corps, Got "Drafted" Vietnam War, Military Occupational Skill 13 Field Artillery, told I Volunteered to be a U.S. Army Special Forces Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol.

Eventually ended up as a U.S. Army Special Forces Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol.Platoon Sergeant Age 19. Five Squads of 12, Two UH-1A Gunships (Four Aviators, Two Crew Chiefs), Two UH-1 B (old from the 1960s) Cargo and Passenger (Four Aviators, Two Crew Chief, Four Door Gunners), 1 Fuel Tanker.

Found out the Assigned U.S. Army Aviator were trained by my Father. Because the Platoon Leader "Lieutenant" hid in his Bunker the entire Tour, I was doing his Platoon Leader Job, including Admin, Awards and Decorations, Article 15s and UCMJ, Logistic Coordination (Food, Water, Fuel, Ammunition), Detail and Duty Rosters, etc..

Everybody, even Airmobile, Today's Air Assault, were doing NOE, as if you flew over 100 meters you would be seen for Kilometers and shot down by 23mm or 57mm anti aircraft full automatic cannons, and or a Anti Aircraft Missile would go up your tail pipe.

Was Routine for my U.S. Army Aviators to fly NOE, 40 meters above Rice Patties, 10 meters about tree tops, they did as my Father taught them to do.

After the Vietnam War, College, University Reserve Officers Training Corps, my Father was still trying to teach me to learn to Fly, this time UH-60 Blackhawks.

Assigned Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Europe, Transportation of Nuclear Weapons by CH 47, over 130 Mission (To and From equals one Mission), 3 Crashes everybody not injured. Got some "Stick Time" flying CH 47s.

Commissioned Assigned to Federal Republic of West Germany. What I noticed was how the Attack Helicopter 64s were being Used. OH-58 Reconnaissance would fly above the trees and climb, the AH-64s would hover behind the rows of trees out of sight, after the OH-58 found a target the AH 64s would go straight up and fire. When they did not have OH 58s, a AH 64 would slowly rise until front seat could see the open fields to the next rows of trees. When they moved, the used NOE, as not to be detected by Radar or risk being seen and shot down.

1982 to 1983 Got sent as a U.S. Army Special Forces Officer to the 1980 (1979) to 1989 (1990) Iran Iraq Wars, ended up in command of a U.S. Ally Iraqis Combat Brigade over 100,000. with the other 3 U.S. Ally Iraqis Combat Brigades North of Baghdad Iraq Also Commanded by U.S. Army Special Forces ODA Team Leaders, the Battalions were Commanded by ODA Team Members. 1983 to 1984 sent to CIA Operation Cyclone. As to how long I have been involved with Iraq and Afghanistan.

Returned to Federal Republic of West Germany, sent to Officer's Advanced Course, Masters of Science Degree.

Combined Arms Services Staff School, Command And General Staff College, Kansas.

1989 UN Observer Kuwait. 1990 to 1991 Persian Gulf War as a U.S. Army Special Forces Officer from Kuwait to Baghdad as Strategic Special Reconnaissance, once again the U.S. Army Rotary Wing Aviators were using NOE. The AH 64s when moving used NOE, with a OH 58 in front of them flying at over 100 meters to "draw enemy fire", the AH 64s were radioed and "dusted" the enemy, they (AH 64s and U.S.A.F. A-10s) not the General Schwarzkopf Armor (Tanks) were killing Iraqis Armor, Mechanized Infantry, etc..

1993 President Clinton's Operation Continue Hope failed and turned into Battle of Mogadishu.

1993 to 2001 President Clinton's Illegal Unfunded Wars against Muslim Nations, 1998 we were denounced by President Clinton, and had to escape from Baghdad Iraq to U.S. Ally Syria (the U.S.A.F. Airstrikes were from Syria). As Team Leader decision was made "Acquire" a Iraqis Aircraft, fly from Baghdad Iraq to U.S. Ally Syria. I was the Co Pilot and Navigator, Team Member from Alaska learned to fly since teen was Pilot. 1998 President Clinton Declared War Against U.S. Ally Iraq, Iraq Liberation Act of 1998, to stop his Impeachment because he previously Violate U.S. Senate Law 1973 War Powers Resolution, and U.S. House of Representatives Law 1973 War Powers Act, that removed the President's War Powers, to order Us to do what we were doing that caused the Revenge attacks of Osama Bin Laden.

2001 Volunteered to attempt President Bush's CIA Operation Neptune Spear, this failed. Mission Changed, Overthrow the 5 Million Pro U.S.S.R. Afghan Government and Pro U.S.S.R. Afghan Military that had become the Afghan Taliban, VERSUS, 336 of Us and 150,000 of our previous CIA Operation Cyclone Pro U.S. Afghan Muhajeen that had become the Northern Alliance. "Air Power" especially Close Air Support was critical, to kill the Huge Numbers of Afghan Taliban Conventional Warfare Army's Tanks, Mechanized Infantry Vehicles, etc.. We forced them to flee West then North to the Old Silk Road North of Iran, to Northern Iraq..

2001 Operation Viking Hammer, Us, the U.S. Army's 10th Special Forces Group, U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division, U.S. Air Force Special Operations Wings, Elimination of Muslim Army, of Osama Bin Laden, Al Quada, about 4 Million Afghan Taliban, Million Muslims from Training Camps Afghanistan, and 30 Million Kurds as allies of Osama Bin Laden. Failed Iran gave them Muslim Sanctuary, Osama Bin Laden, Al Quada, Afghan Taliban when thru Iran and got back to Afghanistan.

We were the First at Iraq. BEFORE "THE TIP OF THE SPEAR".

2002 to 2003 U.S. Military Operation Hotel California, the Strategic Feint to make the Iraqis believe the Main United Nations Coalition Attacks of President Clinton's Declared War, Iraq Liberation Act of 1998, U.S. Senate Law, 2002 Iraq War Resolution, would come from U.S. Ally Turkey so that the Iraqis would move their 13 Iraqis Divisions from their Southern Defenses at the Borders of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. We, the U.S. Army's 10th Special Forces Group, 173rd Airborne, U.S. Air Force Special Operations Wings, U.S. Army's Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR). destroyed 5 Iraqis Combat Divisions north of Baghdad Iraq, the Iraqis panicked, ordered their 13 Iraqis Divisions from their Southern Border Defenses to North Of Baghdad to fight Us, we were within visual range of Baghdad. After the Iraqis removed their Southern Defenses of 13 Divisions, 2003 Liberation of Iraq started in accordance with President Clinton's U.S. Law, Iraq Liberation Act of 1998, "Overthrow Iraqis President Saddam Hussein, Liberate the Iraqis People, Install a Democracy". U.S. Senate Law 2002 Iraq War Resolution demanded Bush Accomplish Clinton's Declared War and was identical to President Clinton's 1998 Law so that President Bush could not Veto, both U.S. Laws.

Finally, went to and graduated from U.S. Army Aviation School, Rotary Wing and Fixed Wing. Fort Rucker Alabama, surrounded by "Dry Counties" (No Alcohol) Daleville, Ozark, Enterprise. War College. Returned to Afghanistan 2005 to ?????. Got lots of "Stick Time" flying, my Joint Services Special Warfare Task Force Support Aviation of the U.S. Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment's Helicopters. Deployed to A (Afghanistan) to Z (Zimbabwe), and most Nations in between A to Z. Camp Leatherneck and British Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, got to fly an AH 64, and a U.S.A.F. MV 22 from Afghanistan to Egypt, U.S.A.F. Pilot let me do that from Co Pilot's seat.

Question I never got answered WHY doesn't the U.S. Army's Conventional Warfare Aviation have Mid Air Refueling like the U.S. Army's 160th Special Operation Aviation Regiment has?

Outstanding. I'm an ex-U.S. Naval Aircrewman - highly impressed with this doc

[user-322-326156 · 10/10 · 17 April 2018]

I had some idea what I was going to see as I am familiar with the Apache. You get the feeling of almost being in the cockpit as they are zooming only feet over the ground headed into enemy territory. All the footage is actual footage - no recreations. Everything got super real for me when that first bullet hit that helo and they were like "What was that?" What came next I wasn't really ready for but it made me give even more respect than which I already had for these Apache crews. Not to get political, but I don't know how any American can watch what I just watched, then still have the gall to kneel during our National Anthem. It's truly dispicable.

This was a great doc that was edited well and has all the real players involved with actual footage.

Poor

[willreid-19692 · 2/10 · 25 November 2019]

Didn't really see the point of this particular story being told. No planning, a little arrogant, attack that gets cancelled due to resistance from small arms. Seems a bit like they were moaning the Iraqis had the audacity to fight back.

Insanely thrilling

[aunetore · 10/10 · 8 November 2018]

Every 10 years or so, you come across this jaw dropping production that sticks with you for days to follow. This is the mother of all those (given you take any interest in the overall ubject of warfare and particularly combat aircraft, of course).

Sounded like a good watch - wasn't

[ElectrifiedToast · 1/10 · 3 December 2019]

This sounded very interesting to watch; camera footage captured from a real mission. I don't wish to detract from what those poor pilots and crew went through - but this 'docu-movie' is purely terribly stretched out and downright manipulative viewing.

There was a reasonable story to be told and there is some decent footage yet it's chopped together. You end up watching the same footage over and over where the producers try to create drama for the sake of it. When I realised the filmmakers were doing this sort of nonsense I found myself caring less and waiting for the next reveal. Sadly this type of presentation, I felt, did a real disservice to those soldiers.

There's nothing more to really say; if you like these reality-type-documentaries where drama is constantly drummed up over everything then you might enjoy this. If you want something where the facts are properly and concisely presented; avoid.

Your heart will beat fast watching this A great, actually real event film!

[sage4676 · 9/10 · 28 January 2019]

One of the best actually real event film. Anyone with flight interest and enjoys the truth and tension will love this film. There is virtually no CGI or actors in this film. These are the real soldiers that were there and did this. This should give anyone that watched this the ability to show respect and understand what these who serve do to protect the freedom's of democracy and America. I highly recommend people watch this film.

Average documentary

[performancehuntershow · 4/10 · 3 November 2019]

Not really worth the time to give it, a mission that was poorly planned and executed by a first world army taken on on by a third world one.

Feels Like You Are Riding In The Cockpit Of An Apache Attack Helicopter

[jgedutis · 10/10 · 9 November 2019]

This documentary is excellent. If you are even slightly interested and dont want spoilers, then stop reading this and go watch it now. You wont be disappointed. This documentary tells the story of an Apache attack helicopter air cavalry unit tasked with a mission on the opening night of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It does a great job introducing the people we will accompany on the mission. The documentary uses real footage recovered from 3 of the Apache's. It feels like you are in the cockpit with them. The real footage of the event is overlayed with the real radio communications from that night. Usually radio communication can be hard to follow but this documentary does a great job putting subtitles along with pictures of the person speaking. This allows you to get to know the people involved and easily follow the conversations. When they first start taking fire from the ground they think they are hitting birds. Soon they see a town approaching, and just before they start to fly over, all the lights go out. A few seconds later they all come back on, and all hell breaks out. The lights were a signal to every inhabitant of the city to go outside and shoot into the air. The Apache's start taking heavy fire and damage. You can see the rounds ricocheting off the helicopters and the tracer rounds filling the sky. From this point on I was literally on the edge of my seat. My heart was racing, and I was in fear for the crews. I cant image what seeing that wall of lead and hearing them ripping the rotors to shreds felt like for those actually in the cockpits. After making it through the city they find their intended targets are not there. They came all this way for nothing, and now they have to fly back through the hell they just passed to get home. One of the crew is shot through the neck and is loosing a lot of blood, but they cant stop to transfer him to one of the Blackhawks to the flight surgeon because that would require landing in enemy territory. The damage the Apache's take and are still able to fly is absolutely astounding. If felt like I took a breath when they first started taking fire and didn't exhale until they landed. This documentary will stay with me for a long time. If you made it this far, go watch Apache Warrior now.

Interesting but too manipulative

[DF-89530 · 5/10 · 9 November 2019]

Most of the documentary was interesting and provided some limited insight and rare actual footage of Apache attack helicopter operation but it leads the viewer on, with information and emotion likely to be (and I suspect intended to be) misinterpreted by the viewer. There is drama enough but I feel this documentary tries to disguise itself almost as a blackhawk down, which it isn't. It feels more like a day in the life of an Apache squadron. I have total respect for the men & women that put their lives on the line and regularly show the kind of bravery and dedication that is demonstrated in this documentary, but I feel that the way that this film presents its facts builds a certain expectation and emotional investment from the viewer that the reveal at the end may leave them feeling tricked, and it severely diminishes the film.

Wow...just wow

[dustinhallsted · 10/10 · 12 January 2020]

Amazing, emotional, gripping, heart pounding, real world thriller. Hollywood couldn't make this up. I'm feeling very empathetic. I couldn't fly a mile in their boots. Thank you.

Tedious account of not much

[dimshady · 2/10 · 17 November 2019]

Tedious account of helicopters getting shot at with the same 5 minutes of hard-to-watch onboard footage repeated over and over again with the anticipation that something significant is actually going to happen. It doesn't, they all just fly home. Blackhawk Down this isn't.

Apache Warrior Sad Heroes of a Sad War for Nothing

[normangrochowski · 14 July 2020]

Though it's one thing to see our excellent military in action, it's pathetic to see that they were sent to a war that President Trump described as Bush's Biggest Mistake in US History. Mr. Trump also added that the US has spent over 7 trillion dollars and that the war in the Arab region brought about the death of over a million men, women and children.

This film, like so many other war films about that region of the world, typically avoids mentioning anything about the foolishness of the war. The enemy is never referred to as a ''Patriot'' fighting a foreign Invader of their country, namely the USA. Instead they are dismissed as Insurgents or terrorists.

The viewer sits watching from the helicopter as it flies over mainly barren lands and poor areas with low quality buildings, in other words, 3rd World type living standards, The death machines fire their super expensive high tech weapons into whatever is down there. Nobody hears the screaming or sees the collateral damage.and the viewer like the pilots remain insulated from all of that bloody mess.

There's no mention in the film that ISIS arose out of and because of this war. Nor is there a hint given that the mayhem and instability these weapons and war created in the region, caused millions of Islamic people to become homeless and later flood into Europe,the USA and other parts of the world.

It is films like this that leave out important facts and try desperately to make our troops look like heroes, when in reality, they are men who have to risk their lives to follow orders originated by what President Trump described as, two blundering fools in the White House.

Perhaps if films like this were more honest and were to mention real and truthful pertinent facts about a particular war, the world would have fewer wars.

We look at the splash screen cover for the film Apache Warrior, and see the choppers coming in at an angle with explosions all around, down below the evil enemies are firing away, guns a-blazing.

But in reality we see high tech weapons sneaking through the night toward unsuspecting people, many of them totally innocent and uninvolved. Even the pilots or command center don't know what they've killed below. They hope they got the bad guy but they don't know, nobody does, except the survivors.

The next time a semi action documentary film on our Arab war is made, it would contain a much higher quality, if it were to mention that Dick Cheney who mainly engineered the war, was once CEO of Halliburton, a Giant contracting firm that got huge contracts to go in and rebuild the infrastructure that was destroyed in the Arab region.

If a film is going to show troop heroes let them also show the anti-heroes who put the troops lives at risk to award contracts to the Military Industrial Complex.

The only interesting thing about the film is watching the communication of the fighting forces with command centers and seeing the technical, mechanical and weather difficulties the pilots have to deal with,

Unfortunately the fact that over a million people are dead because of Bush and Chaney's war, the film ends up leaving a stench in atmosphere of the real world.

Great Military Aviation Documentary

[arcticfirefighter · 9/10 · 28 September 2021]

The documentary was well put together and told the story of the 6 - 6 Cavalry. The documentary tells of the failed mission on March 23, 2003 in support of 3 ID. The mission in itself may have failed but the miracle return of all aviators and thier aircraft was a success. Being an Iraq War Veteran myself, the documentary held a special place in my heart. Knowing what these aviators went through makes you take note of all the sacrifices and situations faced by Veterans as a whole. Highly recommend for anyone but even more so Iraq Vets.

Underwellming. Only war doc I've disliked

[aaronbrownley · 4/10 · 21 June 2020]

The only interesting thing about the documentary is the conversations between the pilots and their stories. The whole thing is drawn out and leaves you expecting something to happen. Other than that you get the same repeated clips of the sky and ground with no discernible objects and what looks like after effects of bullets. I would recommend it if it was half as long otherwise it's just not worth your time. Ak47s shooting randomly into the night sky defeat almost $200 million worth of aircraft and they all run away. Money well spent America.

Waste of time

[sjmarks · 1/10 · 4 February 2020]

Serious over-use of the same clips again and again and again. This might have been an interesting 40min doco, but padded out to 1hr 28min it's tedious and boring as hell. tl;dr - Badly planned and executed mission results in crew being surprised that the enemy fires small arms at them, so they cancel the mission. No aircraft lost, no crew lost. The trailer and synopsis make it sound a lot more dramatic that it really is.

Also, just a word about the disturbing prayer sequence before commencing the mission. It certainly makes you wonder which side are the religious zealots.

Not worth the watch

[glennrparry · 1/10 · 28 February 2020]

Apart from dragging out a whole hour and half with the use of the same repeated 10mins worth of aerial footage, the air servicemen attempt to pull on the heart strings of the viewers for sympathy. The mission was poorly planned, executed against military protocols, and flight crews performed well below the standard you would expect from an "elite" regiment. Not worth the watch, and the servicemen have only publicised their own foolishness and 'gung-ho' attitudes.

Over Rated ego but true mission

[aharmtti · 3/10 · 24 October 2020]

I was in the Apache world when this happen. I was also deployed but not to the same place. I was enlisted and in the armt shop.

The good: It is nice to see the tapes of what really happen. Even though it was only 3. Man did they get caught with the pants down as they say. The communication between acft was not bad after Murphy showed up. Acft held good with all the damage. The ladies and gentlemen that fix these acft are great.

Bad thing: The LTC has a over inflated ego of himself, officers and an aircraft. Its like he was trying to be like Tom Cruise in top gun.

Editing PLEASE!

[brittonbenefits · 4/10 · 2 February 2020]

In the "where are they now" ending, institution is misspelled.

Awful

[jhc-92704 · 1/10 · 11 November 2019]

A group of foreign invaders wondering why they're bing shot at by the people of the land.

A terrible mission and documentary.

War what is it good for

[rusty-61689 · 4/10 · 10 November 2019]

Story of a Failed mission recovery.

Humans killing humans is a waste of time.

Historically questionable

[dr-hornet · 4/10 · 30 December 2020]

A classical American Exceptionalism story. While the documentary was careful to view the crew as heroes, it ascribes every failure to lack or proper preparation before the operation- as if Iraqis cannot mount a defense on and of themselves. MOST IMPORTANTLY, it completely IGNORES the fact that 1 AH-64 was downed and its crew was captured. BIG FALURE!

Ask who for what?

[fgapmtn · 2/10 · 24 November 2019]

I love it when people pray to God that they can succeed in killing other people without getting killed themselves. I'm sure that's what an omniscient being would want. Humans are somewhere between wild animals and sentient creatures at this point in our history. Logical thinking on the values of cooperation vs. fighting is sorely lacking, and we just keep provoking more unthinking anger in each other without examining our own actions. Meanwhile technology makes this a very dangerous stage in our development. May we make it over the hump before we all go down, though I'm not seeing a lot of hope right now. The rise and fall of empires makes it so obvious that you cannot force people into submission for long. But few even seem much interested in climbing out of the box that our belligerent cultures impose on us.

Any military member can see this for what it was

[icrwatkins · 2/10 · 21 October 2022]

What a train wreck of a film. Glorifying a poorly trained team. Comms were horrible. Talking on comms when not necessary. I'm still unsure of who was giving the orders.

To me.. on analysis, this was a rubbish mission with little to no "actions on" identifiable and when engaged with small arms fire, spent excessive time making no discernible decisions regarding how to manage the battle space.

Casevac SOP's were borderline funny if it weren't so serious... it sounded like the wounded fella was pressing his PTT often just to gurgle into the comms.

There is so much wrong here I have to call BS on just about all of it.

Maybe if any of them had dug a pit in their lives they could swindle us somewhat but chairs millionaires in open ground at a forward operating base which consists of apparently one fuel tanker just randomly making its way into an unsecured area of operations without support..? Please.

Even the US isn't this incompetent.