Gunner Palace (2005) 3 1/2 stars out of 4. A documentary by Michael Tucker and
Petra Epperlein
Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein's documentary, Gunner Palace, gives an
uncompromising picture of the war in Iraq, as told first-hand by the troops serving
there.
What was captured on film is a far cry from what we see on the nightly news. The
filmmakers have created a thought-provoking documentary that is at times
disturbing, uncomfortable, brutal, profane and amusing.
Tucker spent two months living with the 2/3 Field Artillery a.k.a. `The Gunners,'
whose barracks are a bombed out pleasure palace of Saddam Hussein's late son,
Uday, situated in the heart of Baghdad.
The film captures the day-to-day lives of the soldiers, which ranges from tedium to
routine, but always with the threat of death riding alongside them.
As one of the soldiers, Spc. Richmond Shaw says, `For y'all, this is just a show but,
we live in this movie.'
And how true that is. We can only imagine the chaos and stress these soldiers
constantly face. The dangers of mortar attacks, roadside bombs, RPGs (rocket
propelled grenades) and snipers are everywhere. Even within the confines of their
headquarters, nicknamed Gunner Palace, the soldiers must remain vigilant.
The movie was filmed months after President Bush had declared an end to `major
combat operations' in Iraq.
But these soldiers consider their operation to be major: Patrolling the streets of
Baghdad day and night, hunting for insurgents and former Saddam government
officials; and trying to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people, many of whom
still see the Americans as invaders and occupiers.
These soldiers are so young - many just out of high school. How they cope is
fascinating to watch. They do what all soldiers have done throughout history -
complain and count the days until they can go home.
They use music - composing their own profane lyrics about their situation - and
humor to lift their spirits.
Seeing these young men and women interact with the Iraqis is an education in
cultural clashes. During operations and patrols, soldiers break down doors looking
for `the bad guys,' disrupting families, bullying suspected Iraqi insurgents; scaring
the same people they are trying to win over.
The soldiers themselves do their duty objectively, but also vent their frustrations
over the difficulties of discerning friend from foe.
An unsettling example is an Iraqi translator who had been going on the hunt for
insurgents with the troops, is later arrested for giving information to the insurgency.
Such is everyday life in Baghdad.
For these soldiers, the war continues every time they step onto the mean streets of
Baghdad. The only time they can breathe easy is when they return to Gunner Palace
for a dip in Udey's ornate swimming pool.
Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, Ind. He can be
reached by e-mail at bbloom@journalandcourier.com or at bob@bloomink.com.
Bloom's reviews also can be found at the Journal and Courier Web site:
www.jconline.com
Other reviews by Bloom can be found at the Rottentomatoes Web site:
www.rottentomatoes.com or at the Internet Movie Database Web site:
www.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Bob+Bloom
========== X-RAMR-ID: 39664 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 1381045 X-RT-TitleID: 1143203 X-RT-SourceID: 872 X-RT-AuthorID: 1363 X-RT-RatingText: 3.5/4
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