The Hornet's Nest

As we've seen in the recent past, this last war--Afghanistan War, which is the longest war in American history, has been a great avenue in which to create some very good yet intense films we have seen in movie history. Look at the list and you'll be awed by it: "Stop-Loss", "Brothers", "Jarhead", "The Hurt Locker", "Zero Dark Thirty", "Act of Valor", "Lone Survivor" and now we have an all out documentary, appropriately titled "The Hornet's Nest".

Career war journalist Mike Boettcher takes his son, Carlos 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.
This is a groundbreaking and immersive film, using unprecedented real footage to tell the story of an elite group of U.S. troops sent on a dangerous mission deep inside one of Afghanistan's most hostile valleys. The film culminates with what was planned as a single day strike turning into nine intense days of harrowing combat against an invisible, hostile enemy in the country's complex terrain where no foreign troops have ever dared to go before. What results is an intensely raw feature film experience that will give audiences a deeply emotional and authentic view of the heroism at the center of this gripping story.

This was surprisingly directed by two newcomers, David Salzberg and Christian Tureaud, who are not new to documentary producing field, however as documentary directors they WILL undoubtedly receive more work. Even though these directors shined, the real stars are the cinematographers, Mike Boettcher and Carlos Boettcher. Their gritty, intense style kept the audience on the edge of their seats all the while biting their nails. It is truly difficult to believe that Carlos Boettcher has never done this work before--he must have picked up that photographic journalist gene from his dad, Mike Boettcher, whose been a war journalist for the last 34 years. These journalists probably put their lives on the line as much as the soldiers themselves did. This year alone, there have already been 22 journalists that have paid the ultimate price for covering this war. Staggering!

Whereas "Fed Up" was a great documentary about the horrendous diets in our country today, this was an equally comprehensive documentary about what our troops do, on a daily basis, to protect our very freedoms we all take so much for granted. This puts us up close and personal to get a crystal clear picture what others are willing to do for us. After seeing this, you will definitely be encouraged to go to any military person and thank them from the bottom of your heart.

Out of 4 Stars: 4                            Rated: R                          97mins.