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COMBAT REALISM

© John Lovett

One of the main criticisms I have come across in my discussion with people and military movies is the seeming lack of realism in combat movies. Most of the criticism comes from prior-service military who have seen combat, or realistic training, and have some idea how big an explosion should be, how a certain weapon works, or how soldiers should or should not behave. In the past, I have been somehow blamed for this unrealism because what I do is try to explain to the moviemakers how combat and the military life should look like.

In the movie business it's like this: you pays your money, you takes your chances. I am not trying to suggest that somehow military movies should not be realistic. On the contrary, I am heartily suggesting that they should be fundamentally more realistic.

This realism comes on two levels. The first level is basic relationships between soldiers. As I reported in my first essay, the tried and (un)true stereotype of Colonel Blimp is still alive and well within the movie industry. To show realistic representations between soldiers, the moviemakers should come to understand, or at least to appreciate that due to the nature of the military relationships between officers and enlisted soldiers are unique and should be shown as such.

The second level is that staple of the movie industry: combat. Some of the earliest movies; for example, BIRTH OF A NATION, showed combat. Milieus of movies since then have showed combat in various stages of realism. Most of the World War II movies producing during or just after the War were short on realism and long on patriotism. A particularly bad example is THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. Filmed in Spain, it shows.

The post-war realism movement has led to more "realism" in war movies, if that "realism" can be defined as more blood and gore. However, the movie producers have missed the boat when it comes to the other aspects of war - explosions, battle behavior, and soldier relationships. Of course, exceptions make the rule as SAVING PRIVATE RYAN can attest.

This attention to detail in making a war movie calls for a big budget and a bigger determination to the director to produce an accurate movie. I guess the argument comes down to this: if the producer/director/what-have-you has enough time and budget to get the actress's hair just right, he has the time and budget to get the combat right.

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