‘Legion of Brothers’ – Movie Review

Category: Movies


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We’ve heard of the heroic efforts of the Navy Seals in the Middle East, but the actions of the Green Berets/Army Special Forces are not as familiar to the general public. Legion of Brothers will change that. It recounts the days that immediately followed the 9/11 attacks with interviews with the men who first went to Afghanistan. The footage included in this documentary as well as the personal accounts are nothing less than heroic.

Less than a hundred Special Forced troops were deployed to Afghanistan immediately after the attacks. It was an extraordinary mission that had the desired result. In just a couple months the Taliban was driven out of the country and a coalition with the Northern Alliance was formed to fight against not only the Taliban but also al-Qaeda.

These men have not received the recognition they deserve for their actions. Until now. This film will impact everyone who sees it.

The Special Forces troops sacrifice everything for their country and their wives recount some of their own experiences while their husbands were deployed. When they returned many of them, if not all, were changed by their experience. It isn’t something they discuss openly, but they did speak about it to the filmmakers.

Director Greg Barker says, “I’m excited to share this cautionary tale about the nature of modern war, which I’ve wanted to tell ever since 2002, when I first met … many of the Green Berets who led secret missions into Afghanistan immediately after 9/11. These Special Operations teams were the very first foot-soldiers of the War on Terror – now the longest war in American history – and even back in 2002 their stories hit me as iconic illustration of what makes war such an endemic part of the human condition.”

The film itself is intense and impactful, however the recounting of the incident that killed two of their own is heartbreaking. The first two casualties of the war were from friendly fire. It was a major mistake that the men still have to live with.

In 2016 The American Response Monument was unveiled near ground zero in NYC. It shows a “Horse Soldier” from the Green Berets. When they arrived in Afghanistan, one team rode horses through the country. Images of them riding in the film are amazing. To think that in this day and age, they had to rely on horse power, literally.

“… As Special Operations continue to be at the forefront of our nations wars,” said Barker, “it is vital that we are able to tell the kind of raw, unsanitized stories of modern war as revealed in Legion of Brothers.”

Legion of Brothers opens May 19, 2017 in select theaters.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 20 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

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