REVIEW: ‘The Last 600 Meters’ Uses Stunning Images to Bring Battle of Fallujah to Life
by Ben ShapiroIt’s hard to say this, but say it I must: one of the reasons that so many current conservative films don’t get distribution or gain success is that they stink. You heard that right. Many of them simply suck.
Yes, political bias is the main reason conservative films don’t get distribution; there are a ton of crappy liberal films that get distribution. But that doesn’t change the fact that some of the most highly publicized conservative modern entrees into the field of film have been total artistic and popular bombs.
Filmmaker Michael Pack
When a conservative film gets made that is actually high quality, it’s a surprise. So when I saw new documentary, The Last 600 Meters, I was shocked. It’s gripping, engrossing, enthralling. It’s a movie every American should see.
The Last 600 Meters tells the story of the two deadliest battles of the Iraq war — the Battles of Fallujah and Najaf — from the perspective of the soldiers who fought in them. We see through their eyes – the footage and stills were taken during the actual battle. We meet the strong, resilient, sensitive and brave men and women of the armed services who do the fighting and the killing and the dying that we won’t do.
The images are stunning.
We watch a firefight in a magnificently archaic and overbuilt cemetery outside Najaf. We learn about a terrorist-created deathtrap known as the “Hell House” in Fallujah, where our troops demonstrated their heroism and creative thinking while taking heavy casualties. We observe as our troops invade the house of Shia Islamic leader Muqtada al Sadr – and find, in his bedroom, framed photographs of American tough-guy action stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, and Clint Eastwood. We follow our troops as they go house to house finding huge weapons caches and terrorists. And yes, there is an actual scene with American soldiers walking through the smoking ruins of Fallujah while singing the Mickey Mouse Club song, a la Full Metal Jacket.
What’s just as stunning is the take from ground level on the geopolitical decisions being made by politicians at the highest level
We’re one day from taking Fallujah in April 2004 when Al Jazeera begins hijacking CBS’s satellite feed from a Fallujah hospital, then adding their own spin – and the resulting media furor causes the Bush Administration to end the action. The result: terrorists from across the globe come to Fallujah to establish a base, and we have to re-enter a few months later to wipe them out.
In Najaf, our troops fight their way through city streets and converge around the central Imam Ali Mosque, where al Sadr and his terrorist followers are holed up. They meticulously avoid firing their weapons around the mosque. They train Iraqi special operations units to make the final entry into the mosque. And then, just as they’re about to finish off al Sadr and his men once and for all, al Sadr, in a deal brokered by the Iraqi government, turns over the keys to the mosque to Ayatollah Sistani, the highest ranking Shia figure in Iraq. And our troops pull out of Najaf, handing the city back over to the insurgents.
If this film has any political content, it’s a pro-troops content. Yes, our troops are pro-war – one of the officers makes an impassioned speech about the value of fighting terrorism and spreading liberty in Iraq. But the film is just as critical of the top-down decision making that led the coalition forces to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory over and over again.
What comes across throughout The Last 600 Meters is the incredible value of the men and women of our armed services. They know that their job isn’t to make the political decisions – it’s to implement them. They’re there to take those policies “the last 600 meters.” And they get the job done, no matter what the obstacles.
I spoke with Michael Pack, producer of the film. It will be shown on PBS in a few months, but he is looking for a distributor to get it shown as a mainstream feature. If ever a conservative film deserved that sort of support, this is the one. It is a tremendous demonstration of the fact that conservative films can be more than just conservative – they can be truly great.
[An interview with filmmaker Michael Pack and producer Stephen K. Bannon can be seen here: Part 2 -- Part 3.]
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32 Comments
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I love the title of this film, "The Last 600 Meters" it paints a vivid picture of what our men and woman are doing.
I look forward to this one, thanks for the tip.
I have the honor of knowing a young man that fought and was wounded (shoulder and head) in Fallujah. I will support this in any way I can.
I agree that most conservative films suck. But one problem is that most conservative films are documentaries and don't make any money. What Hollywood does is "sing and dance" their messages to the average public and they don't see the messages, they are just entertained and buy whatever is produced. What conservatives need to do is produce some comedies, action, love stories, etc… films people will actually pay 8 bucks, take the family and go see.
Big Hollywood should make movies.
I know what you mean regarding conservative movies. This one was a little rough around the edges but still good: Uncivil Liberties
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN_r3dFnlTk
"……..brave men and women of the armed services who do the fighting and the killing and the dying that we won’t do."
Yeah, we won't do it because that would be murder. But if a government says it is ok, then it must be….right? Since when did conservatives become such fans of government….and also anti-gun?????
"….weapons caches and terrorists."
Oooooh. booga booga! Be scared of the terrorists. Gimme a break – this smacks of the Clinton's views of those people in Waco. Conservatives today are to the left of Clinton.
I won't see this movie or any other movie that does not make it clear that our lives on earth mean nothing unless we repent and come to Jesus. Of course, Mr. Shapiro probably doesn't know anything about being saved.
I'm pleasantly surprised that PBS is going to broadcast this. Maybe it's their quarterly "throw the conservatives viewership a bone" promotion. Trouble is, so few conservatives watch much PBS programming that most of us would have missed the event.
I once regularly supported our local PBS station – no longer. With absolutely no counterbalance to Bill Moyers, PBS is in a sad state of affairs. Time was when MacNeil/Lehrer was a watchable hour news show. Those were the days!
What a completely stupid post……
So if your kid wanted to see a Spongebob movie, you'd tell him no because they don't demand that everyone repent and find Christ in the beginning of it??
Oh and the anti-semitic comment on Ben Shapiro was also galactically stupid…..
Do you know something we don't know – about Mr. Shapiro? Are you in so close a communication with our God that he has appointed you as his judge on the condition of other men's soul? I feel that your certitude of the correctness of your stance in this matter displaced. I suggest you spend some time praying for the salvation of your soul..
I second that! I'm flabbergasted that PBS would show this film. Maybe they watched it and saw something that they could spin into making it appear as an anti-war film in ads.
He didn't say that conservative films suck. He said that they bomb because they are rarely endorsed by Hollywood and distribution is next to nothing. It's the liberal oriented films that suck…that's been proven at the box office.
UIf it weren't for BH I wouldn't know about most conservative films – I'll keep an eye out for it. What I love about this battle is the end guessing by all the "concerned" people about whether wounded terrorists were treated "humanely".
If this film in the theatre I am there.
… some of what needs to be done is similar to what was done in "The Blind Side" where a gratuitous, casual stab, at Republicans (that it was Bush is of no importance, no Repub can be tolerated by the diversity crowd) is part of nearly every movie. Otherwise there has to be dozens of ways to twist plots to fit pro-life, freedom, etc., put in your fav conservative value. Gawd knows it can't be that difficult since lib's do it all the time.
I suspect though the reason is simply that hollywood long ago purged conservatives, and even true moderates, leaving only zealots running media from the top to bottom.
Please release it on blu ray, it would make a great Christmas gift for my husband who is an ex-marine.
As a Roman Catholic, I don't know anything about being saved either. Go figure.
Have fun watching 3 movies a year, if that.
Try reading the first paragraph. He said they both stink, and many of them suck. Should we call that "selective comprehension"?
Why is this a conservative film? Shapiro himself said the only political content is pro-troops perspective. And its being shown on PBS! This is actually a very enlightening point. I've thought the whole campaign about "liberal media" from conservatives has been based on a definition of liberal meaning anything that doesn't promote a conservative viewpoint. This totally reinforces my perception.
Further, this means conservatives are so shallow they see everything in a dicotomy only. As in, with us or against us, conservative or liberal. No middle, nothing in-between, no gray area. Which of course, in reality, for the majority of the concepts and ideas we live around, is an absurd falsity. It explains a lot about conservative behavior. (in fact, I'll bet money the replies to this reinforce this point like the sun is hot)
Agreed.
We expect it to be a 'conservative' if it truly is from a 'pro-troops perspective.' You might come up with one but it would be a very short list of reasonably good movies made in the past 30 years that did not seek to harm the reputations of our military in some way.
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Typical divide and conquer troll tactics.
I'll admit i laughed at the anti-semetic ending. Very Mel Brooks-like. (he's not saved either)
At the link provided it says the movie debuted in 2008. Has it already been shown and they are planning on re airing it in 2010?
Probably a frame by frame commentary with a 30 minute disclaimer before and after.
Born Again Christian? Jehovah's Witness? Some other lame alleged "Christian" sect?
Or a Leftie trying to see if he can get anyone to agree with him and then report back to his masters that Conservatives truly are "evil".
Whatever the case, the guy's definitely AN IDIOT!
A "pro-troops" perspective is associated with conservatives because the majority of conservatives support the actions of our troops (even the ugly but necessary ones).
As for PBS showing this, that is the point of this website: to get media outlets to present conservative viewpoints in addition to liberal ones. The fact that PBS shows one pro-troops documentary doesn't mean that everything is fine now.
It's not quarterly.
It's annually.
Soon, it will only be leap-years that PBS will air programs for the Conservative viewership.
Agreed
See, thats just bull. I would venture to guess a majority of non-conservatives also support the actions of our troops. I think its a very small minority of people who are so anti-war they oppose the troops, and what they must do to survive and win. Conservatives may be trying to steal ownership of the pro-troop perspective for political reasons, but thats bubkus. I find it rather disgusting to use our veterans for political traction in this manner.
You can say it is bull, but everything you say goes counter to the last 8 years. A strong majority of non-conservatives opposed the actions of our troops in Iraq. They were loudly anti-war and they opposed the troops doing what it would take to win. They did, however, support their survival (by means of retreat). Thankfully, we had a President who had the fortitude to ignore them and achieve victory there.
Conservatives are not trying to steal ownership of the pro-troop perspective. It has been theirs for a long time. Spitting on veterans returning from Vietnam has a lasting effect. Now, all those liberals who went around denigrating our Vietnam vets have grown up and many are now in Congress. The military (and those who support them) have a long memory.
As for using veterans for political traction, it wouldn't be an issue if everyone would simply support the troops unconditionally. Unfortunately, that seems to be difficult for many non-conservatives. So, I suggest you take it up with them.
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