Blog Entry #1 - Lone Survivor

Blog Entry #1 - Lone Survivor

Genre: Action/Biography/Drama

Written/Directed by: Peter Berg (based entirely off the story written by Marcus Luttrel)
Starring:
Mark Walberg: Marcus Luttrel
Taylor Kitsch: Lieutenant Michael Murphy
Emile Hirsch: Danny Dietz
Ben Foster: Matt “Axe” Wilson
Eric Bana: Commander Erik Kristensen

A personal belief of mine I hold close through day to day observation and interaction is that our country as a whole is slowly slipping into a state of pure afluenza - a state by which one is completely lacking care, or gratitude for the circumstances they enjoy in their life. It’s very easy to get caught up in the little things, whether an instance of petty drama, road rage - even concepts such as materialism. The list can go on to fill a book. But every now and again an occurrence comes across our path that has a way of displaying the life and circumstances of another in a purely visceral way. It is this kind of spectacle which has a technique of bringing one back down to earth, or merely adding to one’s list of experiences or stories by which they solidify their stance on the ground even more - an objective that Lone Survivor accomplished in the utmost fashion.

We are introduced in the very beginning to a life of rigorous training, activity, and mental challenge as clips are shown of BUD/S - Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training. Candidates are pushed to their very limits consistently, and even further beyond with lone and group efforts entailing combating the elements in conjunction with their own mind. It seems almost surreal, that someone can willingly endure such things, and being witness to the effects on these men is frightening. From running miles upon miles in the sand to experiencing what it is to not be able to breathe, and practically drown, SEALs exemplify the exact nature of what it is to be the warrior of today.
Upon the conclusion of training footage, the movie continues with Marcus Luttrel and his team getting geared-up for their upcoming mission - the capture/kill of a Taliban leader in Afghanistan. Aside from the briefing, they are all shown socializing and discussing their lives, which easily demonstrates that despite the job, they are in fact people, too, and that the brotherhood which exists between them, and their fellow SEALs, is a very real thing.
But, enough of this story has circulated for anyone to know, even if they haven’t seen the movie, that yes - all of them perish in battle, with the exception of Luttrel/Walberg. Despite this fact - the movie, in my opinion, effectively retells this remarkable story very simply. And within this simplicity is the elegance. From the moment these men are discovered making their way to the objective, we gain a very swift, and very real understanding of how easy it is to have something of such magnitude fall apart. Through the dialogue they share, we understand how each one still has their own personal beliefs at heart - but the mission comes first. And through the incredible displays of combat-and-maneuver, enhanced by particular camera angles and editing techniques, (in particular, where they have to literally jump down the side of a mountain, and tumble down incurring one hell of a thrashing by the mere elements in their path) and selfless sacrifice against their enemy for each other - we gain the understanding of the legendary prowess of the SEAL.
In summary, this movie tells a staggering story - one that needs to be shared. It can be a difficult watch for the simple fact of the gore, vulgarity, and other elements involved - but on the same token, if it didn’t have these, it wouldn’t be doing justice to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
The answer is yes. I highly recommend it.