So life-like, it hurts!!!!

thegulls1

Days after watching a stunning South Korean mini-series (IRIS), NOBEL popped up on Netflix, based on my viewing habits. Here's my question: how do the producers get this to look so realistic? The guns and jeeps are real -- the barren Afghan landscape looks real -- the Afghani players look like real tribal thugs and power-brokers. You could be watching a documentary, and you wouldn't see much difference. I guess this means the performances are sterling, huh?

As for the show itself, we follow the plight of a small group of Norwegian Spec-Ops guys in Afghanistan, with frequent time and setting shifts that can be difficult to keep up with. One dearly-loved comrade gets taken out by an IED, detonated by a sneering, wife-beating tribal leader. Another loses his temper - then his ability to walk. Reporters interfere, and politicians blame the soldiers for anything that goes wrong.. i.e. Taliban lays an ambush, soldiers guarding a Government Minister shoot their way out - "ooooooooooops! you can't do that -- did the ambushers fire first? We have it on tape..." (Yes, a stolen tape..)

If you still think warfare is all about heroics and bravery, you really need to watch this series. It might explain why a good chunk of the North American troops returning from the Middle East end up "...drunk in a dive in Joliet..." Gripping.

score 10/10

thegulls1 14 December 2016

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3599893/