The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

While many of the reviews were mediocre this time around Junger focused on the Combat Veterans out there. This really drove home many of the emotions and feeling soldiers experience. The boredom, adrenaline, and at times hopelessness and futility. For the general public who has never been in this situation I would recommend watching Restreppo and use that as a reference. For soldiers that have experienced this type of situation, this is the film for you. It was nice seeing many of the same soldiers I served with in this film. The overall flow is very inconsistent and that is really also the way it feels while you are facing time in the suck. There are times when the soldiers are gun ho to the point of zealotry. This is an actual tactic many use to keep themselves moving each and every day. War is a wide plethora of emotions that can change in an instant. This is a real example of just that.

Strangely unengaging documentary.Korengal follows the lives of a company of US Army soldiers stationed at an outpost in Afghanistan in 2007-8. It is the sequel to Restrepo, which was nominated for a Best Documentary Oscar in 2011.Maybe it is because I haven't seen Restrepo (yet), but this documentary just doesn't work for me. It doesn't do much wrong - there is a good mix of interviews and live action footage and there is a degree of conclusiveness to it all. Yet I wasn't engaged. The whole thing just seemed to plod along and I didn't feel any real affinity towards the soldiers.There is also a large degree of gung-ho-ness and bravado, which is a bit off-putting. The movie doesn't feel balanced enough. Maybe that's the problem.

Director Sebastian Junger tries to add more depth to the documentary Restrepo he made with Tim Hetherington. In the meanwhile, Tim dies while filming in Misurata, Libya. This one delves more into the troops' feeling and the war's effectives on them. For me, it touches on too much of the same subject. It's the same place at the same time. Restrepo came earlier and feels more immediate. It was closer to the events and was more visceral. I appreciate the attempt to dive deeper into this world. I would suggest concentrating on one or two characters. It would allow the audience to truly track the development and the change in these troops over time. The footage may not be there but they could do interviews with some of these guys back home. It is eye opening to see everybody say that they rather be back in the Korengal valley. However the movie really needs the 'Where are they now?' segments.

This isn't a documentary for the peace loving or the clean. It is an extension to Restrepo... which my wife would prefer that I quit watching. This movie is a TRUE to life documentary that represents the bond that you civilians dream of having.. but cannot. That bond IS formed in the crucible of combat. Its not ego.. its reality. I miss it day by day.. but not the other issues that go with combat deployments.But I would like to call out CPT 'POS' Kearny, whom I despise from the original as an egotistical, "doesn't get it',incompetent leader that failed in the first and opened his mouth in the second, which quantifies as failure in my mind..a complete ass that one. Second.. and unfortunately I have to call out SSG Brendan O'Byrne with his BS diatribe about 'doing what you have to do'. You faqin azz. You signed up.. you have and lead Soldiers.. YOU WILL DO WHAT YOU MUST!! to bring them back. You fetal and cry in the shower on your own time. I wish you no ill will.. but please stop talking of your theological issues on an otherwise perfect movie.Last bit.. and I am not sure if the audience is familiar with 'Roll Call' during a Soldiers memorial service. It is the most excruciating thing for me to observe, even on movie, and I shed..another tear for Restrepo.. whom I still don't know.. just like I did the fellows that I did that fell. A great flick that most won't get. It's really for us current or ex- GI's that served in Iraq or the 'Stan. It is a true to life movie that shows the grittiness and brings fame on to great civilians that do the bidding of their government (other then Kearny, degenerate prick) regardless of their beliefs. PS. I love 'Big Al' 50 Cal as well.. badest MoFo currently serving.