Let George W. Bush stand on an aircraft carrier and declare the major operations in Iraq be over. It’s not the first time he’s bent the truth to make us all feel better. The war in Iraq continues and babies, both infant and grown, are dying. In the past couple of years there have been many documentaries and non-fiction films exploring all angles of the war. And then there are 24-hour cable news networks to let us know what the government wants to know. What’s been missing in all of these films and the seemingly infinite hours of “news” has been the stories of the troops fighting the fight.
Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker’s Gunner Palace makes a valiant attempt at giving the frontline fighters a voice. It avoids being a means to the directors’ political views and is instead a tribute to the John and Jane Smiths of the American military risking their lives for an ideal rather than a clear goal.
I’ll admit, I get more wrapped up in the press releases and White House photo ops shown on the nightly news more than I do thinking about the folks actually doing the fighting. While I may not personally believe this war is a good thing, I do respect the sacrifices made by those overseas and their friends and family. I just wish they were home and there wasn’t any need for worrying every time the phone rings or there’s a knock at the door wishing condolences and a meticulously folded flag.
Gunner Palace is everything you would expect not to see on the news. The footage shows American troops experiencing what few hedonistic delights they can scavenger up such as drinking, cussing and acting like frat boys. Epperlein and Tucker show much respect for portrayed by showing what they’re living in and fighting for, cutting them some slack for simply being humans.
Tucker was in the field with the 2/3 Artillery for two months making this film. Also called the “Gunners”, home base is a shelled palace built by Saddam Hussein and used by his son Uday. Dubbed Gunner Palace, the barracks are in one of the roughest parts of Baghdad. This is touched upon, but the commentary seems to establish that all of Baghdad is rough for the American soldiers.
The biggest challenge of the film is to give as many troops as possible a voice to say their thing and present their personality. It’s a tough chore to accomplish in a mere 84 minutes. As a result, there’s lots of names to remember in following the film but some invariably get lost in the mix. However, there are several moments where the soldiers are allowed to stand alone and speak frankly about their experiences and feelings. This is where Gunner Palace flourishes. It’s about as honest an opinion you’re going to get in a wartime situation.
Gunner Palace is surprisingly non-political. It exists merely to pay respect to those in the battle zones. And respectful it is, even if there are times when the many players sentiments and personalities blend.
Gunner Palace Gallery
Gunner Palace Trailer
