British Modern War films
I'm still waiting for more war films to be released, but in the meantime, I was thinking I could talk about some of the other Modern War films that have been released before.
For example, Hollywood has yet to make modern based war films about British soldiers. Many countries make modern war films that can be dedicated to soldiers who fought and died in recent combat or to glorify their countries military, which is almost funny if you think about it.
We've seen the French make a modern war film.
Malaysia can make a modern war film based on one of its Special Units
The Chinese can make a modern war film.
The Danish have a modern war film.
Even Canada has a modern war film featuring it's Army.
And of course, the Americans have made a large number of war films and TV shows in many varieties and set in many different periods.
But as for showing films about British Military operations. Of course, Britain has created classical war films like Zulu, Where Eagles Dare, The Bridge on the River Kwai and A Bridge Too Far (which are great films and are worth watching I might add).
There are some recent films which are based on the Brit-Mil like Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk which has become the Highest Grossing World War 2 based film surpassing Saving Private Ryan, and Sam Mendes' 1917 which has been the winner of seven BAFTA Awards including for Best British Film.
Hollywood has contributed to making British War films based around WWI, WWII and before. That's something which I can respect, but what about war films set in today's wars with Britain’s modern military?
If you think about it, Britain has played a major part in remarkable recent wars like The Troubles in Northern Ireland, The Falklands War, Iraq and Afghanistan. But there is a worry if Hollywood was be involved increate a UK based war film based on any of these conflicts, there would be worry of causing some level of controversy with other nations or people.
When I get frustrated is when I read a book or watch a documentary based on a British lead military operation or an account based on their soldiers and I wonder why I haven't seen any news updates about any films based on those stories. The fact is... it's just difficult to find a British Modern War film which either acts realistically to capture the horrors of war or even glorifies the Brit-Mil as a valuable fighting force.
This can cause two problems (or from what I've heard).
- The lack of taste among audiences.
- Political consequences for making such a film.
Because of that, it affects a film producer's ability of film projects to obtain funding through the traditional routes, instead, they have turned to crowdfund as the only viable option. And that isn't really the kind of film that goes up to high-budget in my opinion.
When it comes to realistic Modern War films, the British have been involved in making a few.
Many people might know the story of Bravo Two Zero. The Military Operation in the Gulf War which Andy McNab and Chris Ryan were part of an eight-man SAS team to destroy Iraq Scud Missile launchers.
- There's a 1999 BBC TV film that's based on their accounts starring Sean Bean as Andy McNab. As a military film, it isn't bad. The action scenes are decent, it has good special effects in them and the filming area looks believable. The film is good at capturing the chaotic failure of the mission which took place. The story of their mission must have been unbelievable.
- The interaction with the people is realistic. Some part of the film like the cinematography and the atmospheric pacing is quite dated though I have to say. The source material of Bravo Two Zero has been scrutinized over the years, and it clearly shows how and why.
- Does the film have its problems? Sure. But never the less, it's a great action film which shows a good depiction on what the SAS activities. If Hollywood eventually decided to become involved in the making of a Modern Brit-Mil film, UKSF activities would be a good topic to present to the screens.
For anyone curious to watch Bravo Two Zero, please help yourself watching the film from this playlist.
Speaking of SAS activities, 6 Days is another example of films which show accurate depictions of military operations to hostile events. 6 Days is based on the 1980 Iranian Embassy Siege in London. It's the latest of films based on British military operations.
- It stars Jamie Bell, Abbie Cornish, Martin Shaw and Mark Strong. The main positive with this film is that shows a depiction of the siege from the perspectives from the negotiators, the terrorists, the news reporters, and the British Army's SAS. When I first saw it, I found it a tense build-up to the point where the SAS conducted Operation Nimrod. Even though people know what's going to happen, the pacing makes the film enjoyable because it shows a perfect balance between big drama, the military operation, and the politics that happen as the situation develops.
- You see, I would like it if we saw more films like this. After all, the British did create a blueprint of how Special Forces should be developed around the world. Another thing I would like to see more of are films based on events which were momentous in British military history and not entirely controversial.
This film was written and directed by an Ex-British Army Soldier, Tom Petch, and it was created on a modest budget. The Patrol is about a British Army patrol who are left to assist the ANA (Afghan National Army) in defending a town in the Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
- To the film's credit, it does have a realistic touch to show it was about showing how the fight against the Taliban was a lot more challenging than it was told and the film shows an accurate detail about how the British troops were complete under-equipped against the odds which lead them to doubt their situation in the war. The film isn't exactly a gun and explosion happy action war film, it's more of a psychological drama that depicts how doubt would eventually creep into the minds of the soldiers who fight in the front with no support from the public. Some of the combat scenes and cinematography look quite believable without being too bombastic or in your face.
- It only comes with the problems are that it's built from a modest budget, there are no celebrity actors in it and it doesn't show much glory for me personally. I'm not sure if the film is controversial or not, but I was told that the Army's equipment problem was based on a Left-Wing Parliament Party's decision from the orders of Gordon Brown.
- The Patrol is a fictional story that's it's based on a realistic British Army environment and you know, I think this could be a textbook example of how British Modern War films should be made. It's a fictional story about soldiers on the frontline, based on long-term military operation and realistic experience of war. I would like it if we saw more British war films that would be like that only something that was based on a modern conflict, a fictional story, and a bigger budget.
Kajaki (also known as Kilo Two Bravo in America) is a 2014 British War Docu-Drama which tells the true story about Mark Wright and his small unit of British soldiers that were stationed at Kajaki Dam, Afghanistan. During a routine patrol, they stumble upon an unmarked minefield that was left undetonated by the Soviets.
Oh boy. Where do I begin?
The film freaked my guts out!
- The film is completely accurate to the story, almost in every way. When we get just a quarter into the film, it's very tense and graphic. The film has got beautiful cinematography and it gets really suspenseful when the soldiers try making course of action like applying medical, calling for a helicopter, crossing the field, or even from a gust of wind and rocks falling down on the field around them. All of which could lead to more serious disaster if done incorrectly. And the only course of action is complete stasis. The film was nominated a BAFTA for British Writer, Director or Producer. This could make it the best film mentioned in this post.
- As much I understand why people like it because of that and because it's a true story dedicated to the people who were the victims in the Kajaki Dam Incident, those are reasons why I'm personally not mad on the film. It goes too well with graphic detail and dark atmosphere. Films that don't really have much action except hair-raising tension followed by serious graphic injuries, I find the film less entertaining and more depressing and horrific that way.
- Either way, this film is a great example of showing dedication to the British Soldiers who have fought and died in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Great Britain like most nations pays a price in national conflicts, and I believe the best the film media can do is pay its respects by showing a film that honours what it had to fight for.
Both this and the Patrol are quite similar to The Hurt Locker, so to me, that's a plus to show a war environment for the Brit-Mil.
In my opinion though, this one symbolises how an army has tried previously to fight to control Afghanistan and failed establish a foothold, and in doing so later on, another that comes for the same reason (that being Britain) finds itself in deadly obstacle in the chaos and confusion of war.
In reality, though, its films from the Fifties and Sixties that are remembered to show the camaraderie, the nobility, the black humour, and the courage under fire that's shown from the British Armed Forces in the most perilous situations. Over half a century ago, just not these days.
Both The Patrol and Kajaki displayed the realism like The Hurt Locker and the human emotion that viewers are meant to see from a war film, but neither of those has they been backed up by a High Budget Film Production. From what I've read, a strong source material about BAF (British Armed Forces) is also a difficult one for the film industry, distributors, sales agents, and financiers in London.
A High Budget might be easier to make modern war film or TV show based on another country's military or a Hollywood production, but not about 'Her Majesty's Armed Forces'.
If I was a film director who was aware of that, I would write up a fiction based on Brit-Mil activities.
If I found an example for a script of where the BAF has been featured in, I would find it in several fiction or non-fiction books like James Deegan's Once A Pilgram, Sgt Dan Mills' Sniper One, Capt Johnny Mercer's We Were Warriors, Andy McNab's Nick Stone or Liam Scott Series. I also know that the British SAS has featured in pop culture products like Call of Duty Modern Warfare.
If it was a realistic fiction film, I would also direct it in a way that's effective enough to be dedicated to the British servicemen who fought and died in either Iraq or Afghanistan.
If I completed the script based on UK Military courage and bravery, I would get probably get support from the rest of the country with getting money from charities like Help for Heroes, Walking With The Wounded, or even the Poppy Appeal, which has helped the military in the past with achieving record levels. If I asked the film industry from the British film or television community, they would probably look the other way.
From what I've read, the industry wants to stick with films based on social realist misery, romantic comedies, predictable British flicks, or Guy Richie style gangster thrillers. Either that or the industry is nervous to cause too much political controversy.
I can only conclude that the issue with creating modern films based on the British Armed Forces is just how it gets supported.
The Ministry of Defence agrees to support for it,
The Soldiers are behind for it,
The General Public is standing for it.
The Film Industry just looks the other way.
But that being said, because of the British war films that involved Hollywood production (6 Days, 1917, and Dunkirk), some films that are based on British War stories have been well received. And like I mentioned before about several fictional and nonfictional books which tell about British Modern Warfare, there is still hope...
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