Lone Survivor....

raimius said:
I haven't read the book yet, but know the timeline. The movie was pretty powerful. This isn't a "USA! Rah! Rah!" war movie. I think it does very well in speaking to the devotion of people to their brothers in arms and principles.





Minor point, but the rescue was not historically accurate.
http://www.natgeotv.com/za/helicopter-wars/videos/taliban-gambit-mobisode-1
(change the number at the end to get through the full documentary.)
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Thanks for the link...when I was watching I kept on thinking towards the end "I don't remember that..." but it'd been too long since I'd read about it that I wasn't sure.

For what it's worth, I really liked the movie, and I absolutely hated the book.
 
Trey said:
Can you tell me why it is rated R? Is it gory? I can handle that just wonder so I can convince my dad to take me.
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Trey,
In addition to the violence, the language is a factor in the R rating. Not only the F word being dropped a lot, but some other colorful language in at least one scene.
 
Box Office...

Lone Survivor was at top of the box office! Anyone have any doubt?

Push Hard, Press Forward
 
It's a little-known fact that the last phase of BUD/S is where you learn how to write a book, advise a video game, and secure a movie deal.

SEAL culture has gotten out of control with the "look at me" antics.
 
Interesting....

Funny you should say that. The few frogmen that I know say the same thing, things are getting out of hand. Even to the point they know a few who went through the teams to get experience to write a book. I feel Lone Survivor was before the big wave of "look at me". But since that book I agree, too much "look at me". The book "Zero Dark Thirty" was terrible. I thought the movie was way better because of the focus on the intel gathering folks and their hard work.

Push Hard, Press Forward
 
The Three Options

Saw the movie last night. Loved it. However, I was bothered by one thing throughout the entire film.

I haven't read the book, but was familiar with the story from years ago. Forgive the question if I missed the answer.

There were three options. 1)Kill them 2)Release them 3)Take them along until they re-established communications.

Why did they not choose the third option?
 
cb7893 said:
Saw the movie last night. Loved it. However, I was bothered by one thing throughout the entire film.

I haven't read the book, but was familiar with the story from years ago. Forgive the question if I missed the answer.

There were three options. 1)Kill them 2)Release them 3)Take them along until they re-established communications.

Why did they not choose the third option?
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I think the three options discussed in the movie were
1. Kill them.
2. Release Them.
3. Tie them up and leave them (and expect them to die).

I'm pretty sure your third option was discussed in the book. The reasoning, as I recall, was that the goats would follow them. And whether or not the goats followed them it would certainly blow any chance of remaining hidden (and safe).
 
kinnem said:
I think the three options discussed in the movie were
1. Kill them.
2. Release Them.
3. Tie them up and leave them (and expect them to die).

I'm pretty sure your third option was discussed in the book. The reasoning, as I recall, was that the goats would follow them. And whether or not the goats followed them it would certainly blow any chance of remaining hidden (and safe).
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You are correct. Those were the three options presented as such, but there was some cursory mention of taking them along.

I think you answered, "Why didn't they?" correctly.

I guess they could have killed the goats.
 
When I was at USNA, we discussed the book. Our instructor went to some trouble to get a fairly senior SEAL officer to come and talk with our small class. He indicated that the team did not try to abort their mission right away, and felt that delay (although fairly short) was an error in judgment although one born out of bravery and devotion to the mission.

My sense is that both in the book and the movie, there might have been a bit of shortening so that "let the goatherds go and then get the hell out of there" was not an option, but I'm not an expert on this so that might not be right.
 
DD wanted to see this as our "date night" last Friday evening. When we got home we tried to explain to mom/wife what an experience it was and how hard some of the scenes were to watch. The best we came up with was this...


...It was the only time either of us had ever attended a film where an entirely full theater was utterly silent at the end. No one was sure if they should clap, cry or what. So everyone just got up solemnly and filed out without so much as a whisper.

Go see the film.
 
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My son is a high school senior waiting to get final word on an appointment to USNA (wants to be a SEAL) the whole family went to the movie together. Excellent movie, but mom, sis and girlfriend were balling by the end. He suggests not taking family if you are joining the military.
 
MedB said:
DD wanted to see this as our "date night" last Friday evening. When we got home we tried to explain to mom/wife what an experience it was and how hard some of the scenes were to watch. The best we came up with was this...


...It was the only time either of us had ever attended a film where an entirely full theater was utterly silent at the end. No one was sure if they should clap, cry or what. So everyone just got up solemnly and filed out without so much as a whisper.

Go see the film.
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Agreed. The exit from the theater when I saw it was the same. I've only seen two other movies that had this same effect - "Saving Private Ryan" and "The Passion of the Christ". Sort of tells you the league its in at least regarding impact.
 
Saw it a couple nights ago. Can't believe they let the goat herders free, but there's no way I'm gonna second guess Lt. Mike Murphy while I'm sitting here on my couch.

I'm gonna start attempting to do the "Murph" CrossFit workout named in his honor, it was apparently his favorite:

1 mile run
100 pull ups
200 sit ups
300 body squats
1 mile run
(All while wearing a 20 lb vest to simulate body armor)

Those guys were heroes
 
BigBear said:
Some interesting reading: http://www.onviolence.com/?e=762
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That kind of supports what I've read on various sketchy sites about the battle. People have seen videos that the Taliban recorded during the fighting, and they claim there were only about 10 Taliban fighters, the SEALs just got ambushed and didn't have anywhere to go. I guess only Luttrell and the Taliban know the truth....
 
Strength and Honor said:
That kind of supports what I've read on various sketchy sites about the battle. People have seen videos that the Taliban recorded during the fighting, and they claim there were only about 10 Taliban fighters, the SEALs just got ambushed and didn't have anywhere to go. I guess only Luttrell and the Taliban know the truth....
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Well, they have no interest in reporting accurate numbers and every incentive not to do so. I do believe they were seriously outnumbered but wouldn't venture a guess as to the actual numbers. Certainly 10-4 in that terrain would be insufficient to achieve what they did (including bringing down the helicopter).
 
kinnem said:
Well, they have no interest in reporting accurate numbers and every incentive not to do so. I do believe they were seriously outnumbered but wouldn't venture a guess as to the actual numbers. Certainly 10-4 in that terrain would be insufficient to achieve what they did (including bringing down the helicopter).
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... the RPG (used to shoot down the MH47) is a single-man weapon
 
BigBear said:
... the RPG (used to shoot down the MH47) is a single-man weapon
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Right. Understand that. But it was on a different part of the mountain and out of sight of Lutrell. So they at least had (1?) additional man hanging about,and frankly I doubt there was just one. But we're debating conjecture here which hardly seems worthwhile I guess.
 
Saw the movie with my ds (just completed his sle application) and will certainly see it again when his older brother comes home from mmi on spring break and certainly before his a day. Have not read the book but will download it as soon as I finish this post. Thought it was extremely well done overall. Great opportunity to talk about decision making under pressure and the tremendous responsibility inherent to leadership...
 
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