So what was the big deal?
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BigMeanieHead — 17 years ago(March 01, 2009 05:35 PM)
You miss the fact that Strobhl had taken a different path after his service in Kuwait from the first Gulf war. He was from a combat unit but switched towards the rear echelon units like logistics/personnel dept. Phelps on the other hand saw alot more combat than Col. Strobhl ever did (evidenced by the amount of ribbons on Phelps uniform). Strobhl thought for his combat experience that he wasnt a "real" Marine. After he meets the oldtimers at the VFW hall, he talks about this with one of them.
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mark-4401 — 17 years ago(March 01, 2009 06:18 PM)
I think it is one of those cases where it happens all the time, but someone decided to take notice.
I was thinking about this the other day and what makes this movie and situation so different is the interaction between civilians and the military.
Most of the time, as civilians, we see the military from afar. Right or wrong that is the way it is. We see about them on the news, we may know someone in the military, we may run into someone in uniform at the local Wal-Mart. But basically we as civilians do not interact with them.
In this movie Kevin Bacon's character constantly interacts with civilians. The young driver, the gate agent, the ramp agent, the pilot, the funeral director, etc.
I "think" what makes the entire movie so special is the way the civilians interacted with him and he with them.
As I said this movie is about heroes some of those heroes may surprise you. -
monique79 — 17 years ago(March 02, 2009 08:10 AM)
How dare you to be so callous and unsympathetic! You obviously do not have anyone you care about in the military or in Iraq. Well, let me set the record straight for you, I do! I have a cousin and a family friend who deployed two weeks ago. They will both be heading to Iraq for a year.
Do you know how slowly a year passes for a military family?
Do you know what it is like to watch the local news hearing of casualties praying it's not your own?
Do you know what it is like to not receive a message back wondering if they are okay?
For most families, this is temporary and their loved one comes home, for others it becomes their nightmare.
Those two men I spoke of are in the Army, however, I feel a kinship to anyone who has a loved one deployed no matter what branch of service.
You are correct, it is war, people die, we are not nieve to that fact. However, those "people" you speak of are someone's son or daughter, bestfriend, cousin, boyfriend or girlfriend, someone's husband or wife. They are not just "people", they are individuals with names, lives, hopes, and fears.
Until you have personally lost someone to war, do not tell me or anyone else to get over it! May you never know the pain you are so callously brushing off. -
imnottellingyou101 — 17 years ago(March 02, 2009 08:53 PM)
OP.I understand how you may not quite understand the gravity of the situation. There are a lot of facets one must take into consideration, and to be quite honest, it would take about an hour to type my ENTIRE answer to you. Simply put, the officer was escorting a young man who had given his life to defend a country he loved, and died supporting a cause that he, himself would have died for. He was giving the young man in the coffin the utmost respect during each and every leg of his final journey home. In addition, please also remember that he knew he would have to face this young mans family and friends, to see their grief and share their sorrow first hand. That kind of pain and heartachewould wipe the smile off anyones face.
The marines, along with all the other branches of the military, are like familieslike a brotherhood. Each soldier; from a private enlisted man to a colonel, takes each death of "one of their own" very very seriously and very very personally. Understandably so.
I hope that helps clear it up. -
cesmith206 — 17 years ago(March 03, 2009 11:06 AM)
to add onto imnottelingyou101's post
I agreee and think that seeing how civilians were touched all across the country by Phelps' sacrafice greatly touched Bacon's character. Along with that, Bacon's character was struggling because, unlike Phelps, he had pretty much opted out of going to Iraq. Being with Phelps' body increased the guilt he was feeling. -
Homer900 — 17 years ago(March 15, 2009 10:53 PM)
Daveeh, you must be very young and have never suffered a loss in your family to say something so foolish. It's called simple human empathy. You know, where one can feel for another human being and their loss. As a veteran and a retired cop, I have been to far too many funerals of cops and firefighters who have loss their lives in the line of duty. Nary a one I met and yet, due to their sacrifice for their community, I wept for their families. The same holds true for a young Marine sent to do his job and he is killed. I can feel for the family and a life lost far too young.
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ClareyCotter — 17 years ago(March 21, 2009 10:05 AM)
Don't mean to be rude or abrasive but it seems like its just some Marine officer escorting a coffin back home.
My God.the big deal is that you don't have the empathy to understand that the officer wasn't escorting a "coffin" back home. That coffin held the dead body of a young American who had given his life in the service of his country. -
putangclam — 17 years ago(March 29, 2009 10:56 PM)
Every Marine is family. When a Marine dies, we all feel it. It is hard to explain something like this to civilians. I guess it's the whole idea of band of brothers. PFC Phelps died protecting his platoon which in my opinion makes him a hero. He deserves every bit of respect.
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badass_drummer — 17 years ago(March 30, 2009 11:35 PM)
I understand where OP is coming from. I am in 100% disagreeance with it, but I understand. This movie made me truly feel what Bacon's character was feeling. I watched it a week ago and I still remember every detail of the movie (and I usually don't remember movies well.. my memory sucks, lol). I won't even pretend to say I know what the marines go through, but the media seems to have lessened the role of the Marine in society. It's something like this that makes me feel the way I used to feel, respecting every single member of the USMC and praising them for putting their lives on the line just for my freedom.
I marched a Drum & Bugle Corps, a group of 150 people who practice non-stop for 12 hours a day every day and tour the country competing in marching music festivals. There were maybe 30 drum corps in all of the league, and each member lived on busses and high school gym floors. One of our members died after tour in 2006, and although I barely knew her at all, I still cry every time I see a memoir to her or think enough about her. Anytime a member of any single corps dies or has something tragic to them, I truly feel pain as if they're a member of my family, even though I've never met them. I see this as a very small-scale example of this movie. Where there have only been about 150,000 people that have marched in a drum corps in the past 40 years (estimation), there are 180,000 people enlisted in the USMC at this present time. At the risk of sounding like I know a lot about the USMC (I'm not worthy of making such a claim), it seems to be a huge fraternity. It would be like any one of your acquaintances dying. You don't have to be extremely close to them to grieve. You just need that bond. Now I'm getting long winded, so I'll quit, lol. -
lindamoffatt — 16 years ago(May 23, 2009 02:48 PM)
The big deal? Are you kidding??? This Marine was NINETEEN!! I don't agree with this war, but the care are respect that this young man was given along the way touches me more than I can say. If this was your son, brother, daughter, sister, grandchild, etc., wouldn't you want the same? Not only was his body respected (carefully washed, dressed immaculately in full dress uniform) but also were his personal effects that were to be given to his family (imagine if you were given bloody dog tags, watch, medals, etc)! This young man was the same age as my daughter. If I couldn't escort her body myself, it would mean the WORLD to me that someone else would do this with so much care, honor and respect!
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CGSailor — 16 years ago(June 14, 2009 11:57 AM)
daveeh,
you are either a troll, very young, or a sociopath.
for your sake, I am hoping you are just chronologically challenged.- he is not escorting a coffin, but the body of a fallen Marine.
2)did he have a connection to Phelps? Yes. they were both human beings.
If you dont get this movie, no amount of explaining will help. you either get it. or you dont. for those who dont. I feel sorry for you.
I joined the Navy to see the world, only to discover the world is 2/3 water!
- he is not escorting a coffin, but the body of a fallen Marine.
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Deathkneeler — 16 years ago(August 31, 2009 11:48 AM)
We are all but a huge family, when one is lost we all feel it.
"In this time of war you will see no glory in my eyes, only the sorrow for those who will see no more"
-Ghostchaser 15 Whiskey
If you want to be a smart ass, have some experience to back it up. -
dagaul101 — 14 years ago(November 16, 2011 05:05 AM)
I think the manner and dignity of how the marine was escorted back ws what was captivating
Source:Movie Reviews - Taking Chance
http://moviereviews.noskram.com/2009/09/movie-reviews-for-taking-chanc e