Watch Korengal

Korengal is a documentary film released in 2014 that provides a fascinating insight into the personal stories of a group of US soldiers deployed in one of the deadliest areas of Afghanistan, the Korengal Valley. It is directed by Sebastian Junger, who was also behind the critically acclaimed war documentary Restrepo, and features interviews with soldiers who fought in the region alongside raw combat footage.

Throughout the film, viewers get to witness the daily lives of these troops as they try to cope with the harsh realities of war. They are shown laughing, joking, arguing, and crying - all while trying to stay alive in a region that has earned a reputation as the "Valley of Death." The soldiers' emotions are kept at the forefront of this documentary, which provides an intimate look into their lives and experiences in a way that is often missing from traditional wartime coverage.

One of the key strengths of Korengal is that it doesn't just focus on the combat. Instead, it gives equal weight to the soldiers' daily routines - the card games, the pranks, the conversations - that offer a glimpse of what life is like for men and women serving in the military. These intimate moments are a stark reminder that soldiers are human beings, too, with fears, anxieties, and dreams like anyone else.

In terms of the technical aspects, Korengal is well-crafted and impactful. The use of shaky camera work, which can sometimes be off-putting in other war documentaries, is used effectively here to convey the chaos of battle. Meanwhile, shots of vast, empty landscapes and the sounds of gunfire, falling bombs, and helicopters serve to highlight the isolation and danger that the soldiers must endure.

The film is also notable for its use of interviews with the soldiers themselves. These candid conversations reveal the mental toll that war takes on its participants, highlighting the trauma and emotional scars that can last for a lifetime. Through their own words and experiences, viewers are given a deeper understanding of the human cost of war.

Ultimately, Korengal is a powerful and thought-provoking documentary that will likely appeal to anyone with an interest in the military, war, or human psychology. It is a courageous exploration of the inner lives of soldiers who have experienced unimaginable trauma and hardship, and a reminder that the true cost of war is often invisible to those on the outside looking in.

Korengal is a 2014 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 24 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.7 and a MetaScore of 67.