This documentary goes through a few incidents in the history of war, including the destruction of the bridge of Mostar and the massacre of Srebrenica. The ways the people experience violence and the idea of hurting people reflect the similarity of the nature of different wars. The values people learn in the time of peace are different to those they are to respect in the war, suddenly hurting and killing is not only allowed, but encouraged and respected. This contradiction and the experiences in battle have the tendency to break the morale of the soldiers. This decadence is studied through the experiences of common people and soldiers; in situations in which the have to fight to respect humanity. Especially the experience in which the ability of a person to cause pain is studied is interesting.
Altogether, the documentary is bound to the scene clearly similar to the one from the book "All Quiet on the Western Front" (by Erich Maria Remarque), in which two soldiers of two armies lie in the same bomb hole, the other dying. The difference between an anonymous enemy soldier and a real human being, the thin line between a murder and a legalized murder in the name of war; those are the subjects studied. How is the line drawn, and why does it so often end up being drawn in such a strange way, that makes even children impersonalized enemies to be killed? Is it just because ordinary people don't resist enough? And if we knew the enemy, would it make a difference, as it made for the poor soldier in the Remarque's classic book? In Mostar, some people grief more for the beloved bridge than for the casualties. Maybe that is part of the answer.
This is a decent documentary on the subject. I must admit, though, that I did not understand the relevance of some scenes. The logic is sometimes slightly difficult to follow. But still, it is quality film making.
Altogether, the documentary is bound to the scene clearly similar to the one from the book "All Quiet on the Western Front" (by Erich Maria Remarque), in which two soldiers of two armies lie in the same bomb hole, the other dying. The difference between an anonymous enemy soldier and a real human being, the thin line between a murder and a legalized murder in the name of war; those are the subjects studied. How is the line drawn, and why does it so often end up being drawn in such a strange way, that makes even children impersonalized enemies to be killed? Is it just because ordinary people don't resist enough? And if we knew the enemy, would it make a difference, as it made for the poor soldier in the Remarque's classic book? In Mostar, some people grief more for the beloved bridge than for the casualties. Maybe that is part of the answer.
This is a decent documentary on the subject. I must admit, though, that I did not understand the relevance of some scenes. The logic is sometimes slightly difficult to follow. But still, it is quality film making.