Armadillo is a documentary that follows a group of young Danish soldiers posted to the Armadillo base in Afghanistan. We see them during the boring downtimes when they play video games and watch porn, as well as during stressful times, including engaging in combat with the enemy.
This is not a film for the weak-hearted, with very visual shots of injury and death. At times, it is not an exciting film, but then war is clearly not always exciting. What it seemed to be was a really honest depiction of the life of soldiers deployed in Afghanistan, and not just the good and brave parts. It also showed their vulnerabilities and their arrogance.
I couldn’t help thinking of the Hurt Locker as I watched this film – the landscape is clearly similar, as well as the tension of always expecting something horrible to happen – an expectation which is sometimes fulfilled. It is not a film that you watch to enjoy, but a film that gives a strong sense of the place and the lives of those involved.
ireckonthat 