Movies Restrepo and whiskey tango fox

Movies Restrepo and whiskey tango fox

Below are a number of discussion questions related to each film that I was planning on using in class before it was canceled. Please respond to 2 questions, one for each film. Write at least 1 paragraph for each answer.

-Restrepo

In what ways were you able to identify with the soldiers? What surprised you about their life in the midst of war?

Why do you think that surviving soldiers return to war zones? Is it for the feeling of brotherhood and sense of identity that military service facilitates? Or is it for the intensity of combat – the fear, complete terror, complete happiness of knowing you are alive -which is like a drug in itself?

What are you thoughts on the ”realism”used in this film? Do you think it is useful for viewers to experience the reality of war, in all of its stages, or should the reality be edited? Explain why.

At international conventions where war policies are made, a common topic is how to “civilize” war. Modern military tactics are geared at maneuvering the enemy into a position where they can be massacred humanely. What are your thoughts on this? Can war be humane, and is it possible to civilize men and women’s behavior in war?

When the film ended, did you have answers to all of your questions? If not, what questions still linger for you?

-Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

In this class so far, we’ve viewed 2 war films that are genre hybrids called drama-comedies, movies that are funny but also touch on serious issues. The first one we watched was Good Morning, Vietnam, a comedy with "a serious underbelly." In what ways is Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, like GMV, a comedy with a serious underbelly?

This film is the true story of a war correspondent named Kim Barker–in what ways was her experience in war similar to that of a soldier? How is it different? It would be useful to think of Restrepo here as a point of comparison.

What are your thoughts on the relationship between Barker’s character and the Afghan characters? Is the film guilty of perpetuating certain negative stereotypes about Arabs and/or American white women? Or does it strive for truth/accuracy?

The film tries not to make any clear judgements about Barker’s actions throughout the story, allowing we as the viewers to make up our own mind. So, what did you think of Barker’s character? What struck you as admirable in terms of her behavior? What actions were reprehensible? How did you feel about her character by the end of the film?