Boys of Abu Ghraib (2014)

This movie is full of misinformation, holes, and downright misleading. I was one of the soldiers of the 72nd that opened that prison in 2003 (March-November). The very first unit to step foot in that prison. This is in no way what took place. If you are looking for a some kind of historical documentary, as I was, look some place else. All this is, is some Hollywood magic and creative writing for entertainment ONLY. You don't request to just be an MP, then go working a prison. It is a job you have to train for, just like civilian law enforcement. I guess I am bitter due to the fact that I was there, I dealt with the inmates, the working environment, and the constant threat of death or physical harm, by the inmates and outside insurgents. We did not have friends on the other side of the wire. They wanted to kill you, not have a cup of chai. The inmates would clap and cheer at seeing American soldiers hit by mortar fire in the compound. If you called this movie "Prison X" and made no mention of Abu Ghraib, then at least, you wouldn't be feeding a line of crap to the public about something you have no clue about.

It's about a morally strong soldier, who volunteers to be a guard at Abu Ghraib while he's deployed to Iraq in order to feel like he's helping with the war. It's about how strong he held onto his moral convictions, and the various struggles he dealt with that eventually caused him to break, making him one of the infamous abusers in Abu Ghraib. The inner details of the Iraqi War are still mostly unknown to people who weren't there, so some viewers don't understand the point of showing the unit, or mortar attacks, or the deployment extension, but they're what held Farmer together, and what broke him down, all at the same time.

Do not watch this movie if you are looking for a simple thought. There is no happy ending because it is about war. There are no tight knit band of buddies going to fight the good fight. This is about a side of war that no one saw at the time, and at this point, no one really thinks about anymore except those who experienced it firsthand. It will raise more questions than it answers. In the end you will not have closure. This is on purpose.This movie is complicated because it is about one of the most complicated wars the United States has ever fought. If you want a movie that makes you think about war and its relation to justice, humanity, and the truth then please, watch this.

Certainly a watchable movie at least. Could have been better. Still, I was drawn into the story and found it entertaining... Well rounded American boy finds himself in a rear echelon outfit in Iraq. Originally working in a motor pool. He hears the prison next door is short staffed and willing to take non military-police personnel as guards. It all becomes factual at that point, leading to a similar situation to the well known abuses and tell-all photos of the scandal we saw on every news channel back in the day.The side stories are not developed enough and are too cliché'. It makes soldiers appear too emotionally fragile. There is a scene where one squad mate goes nuts, has a situational reaction, but its not believable. At least show the soldier getting a dear Jon letter on top of having financial stress, losing his home or something. But no, they make it look like rear echelon soldiers go nuts for no reason. They also do not develop the lead character's reason for volunteering for guard duty. Show these guys on the road dodging IED's, then it would make sense to volunteer as a guard in Abu Ghraib. These things need to be portrayed to the audience to make the movie believable.The movie does not fall completely flat. What saves it is the relationship the character develops with one of the prisoners in the cell block he is guarding. There is also constant tension in the scenes within cell block, as the guard is alone with several prisoners. This keeps the viewer interested as the story progresses. The guard walks a fine line between maintaining control or becoming abusive.I had no problem with the ending. Frankly I wondering where the real life news stories of Abu Ghraib were going to meet the fiction. Just as I said: Is this about the same Abu Ghraib? I had my answer.