There is an interesting and critical opinion piece today in the NY Times, inspired by the movie 'The Hurt Locker'. I've heard other comments on the hurt locker too - particularly that some service members feel it portrays them as unprofessional cowboys when they feel they are anything but.
The article points out the obvious, but it bears repeating: Hollywood is in the business of entertainment. The brutal facts of war get in the way of that, so they are frequently avoided. And one must ask - would we be so gung-ho about sending troops if movies showed us the reality - the senseless and often random loss of life on all sides? The costs of war are great, and no one who votes for or against a war should be allowed to avoid exposure to the sacrifices they are asking of others.
Please remember that when you watch a war movie you are watching stories about young Americans who went far from home and risked their lives; some of them died there with only their brothers in arms to witness. Hollywood is now taking our money by walking on their graves.
[From Home Fires: The War Movie You Dont Want to See - Opinionator Blog - NYTimes.com]
