Military inacuracies in the movies.

Have you ever seen those movies where you can tell they didn't bother to do any research on the military where it almost looks like they use Jesse MacBeth as a consultant? I know a couple of Sci-Fi/Sy-Fy movies are guilty of this. For example in the movie Monster Ark they have this sergeant major character character is being addressed either as major or as "sir" by those playing his subordinates and he is leading a combat team. Which are things that would never happen.Anyone who has been the Army can tell you that the one thing you never do is call a non-commissioned officer "sir". Then in the movie Sand Serpents they have a female in a special forces unit,e-2 privates as special forces,ranks sewn on wrong, patches in the wrong places,sleeves rolled marine style instead of army, I am pretty sure that a special forces unit would not wear their rank while in combat(this part could be nothing more than just a rumor I head in the Army) and many other inaccuracies. Can these people making these movie not consult someone who was in the army or go and buy a military manual, I am pretty sure a military surplus store would have one those manuals they hand you in basic training.

Ahh.... every goddamned movie?

Well, with the exception of documentary films.

I think that's why they call it fiction.

Just saying.

First and foremost, I notice that most movies portray military members as unintelligent, narrow minded fools whose main reason for being in the plot at all is to complicate that situation by an instinctive and thoughtless use of force, and to be killed off without causing the audience undue emotional distress.

This, I find repulsive. I found more intelligence, flexibility of thinking and understanding of the gravity of the use of force in the Air Force, than I have ever found in large concentration among the civilian population.

Apocalypse said:

Ahh.... every goddamned movie?

Well, with the exception of documentary films.

Click to expand...

I seen a few that look like the writer might have done some research. "Red Sands" and "The Objective" look like the writers may done a little research.

A TV show that always got it right was CBS' The Unit.

Sadly, it's been cancelled.

bhkad said:

A TV show that always got it right was CBS' The Unit.

Sadly, it's been cancelled.

Click to expand...

I loved this TV show.
Watched all of its seasons.

Apocalypse said:

I loved this TV show.
Watched all of its seasons.

Click to expand...

Me too. That's why I'm somewhat resigned to it's fate. I watched every one.

I often get annoyed by movies with characters, who are supposed to be professional agents/Secret Service/LE/black Ops/military etc, with appallingly poor gunhandling skills. They also exhibit little or no comprehension of use-of-cover or tactical movement.

Not to mention few actors actually raise their weapon to eye-level like they're using the sights.

Lee Marvin (a hunter, Marine Scout Sniper and RL toughguy) was a notable exception, in most movies where you see him shooting he looks like he is actually aiming the weapon.


G.

Oftencold said:

First and foremost, I notice that most movies portray military members as unintelligent, narrow minded fools whose main reason for being in the plot at all is to complicate that situation by an instinctive and thoughtless use of force, and to be killed off without causing the audience undue emotional distress.

This, I find repulsive. I found more intelligence, flexibility of thinking and understanding of the gravity of the use of force in the Air Force, than I have ever found in large concentration among the civilian population.

Click to expand...

Originally Posted by Goshin
I often get annoyed by movies with characters, who are supposed to be professional agents/Secret Service/LE/black Ops/military etc, with appallingly poor gunhandling skills. They also exhibit little or no comprehension of use-of-cover or tactical movement.

Not to mention few actors actually raise their weapon to eye-level like they're using the sights.

Lee Marvin (a hunter, Marine Scout Sniper and RL toughguy) was a notable exception, in most movies where you see him shooting he looks like he is actually aiming the weapon.

G.

Click to expand...

Thats how you can tell the political affiliations of the movie makers..

Off the top of my head I can think of only two movie's with-in the last 20 Years that were close to being true to the Story and History.

Gettysburg and Gods and Generals

One movie that I haven't seen yet but what I understand shows the actually right uniforms and manners is Valkyrie. Yes Tom Cruise playing a German Officer with an American Accent is hard to get past but at least they followed the facts.

I have a hard time watching "War Movies", because most seem to have little to no idea what they are really trying to portray. Some are honest "goofs", like the guy that runs through artillary or mortar fire and never gets hit with shrapnel. But others are so stupid it is beyond belief, like Rambo II where Sly fires a LAW rocket inside of a helicopter. In real life, the backblast would have killed all the POWs he rescrued, and probably would have critically damaged the helicopter.

I have also worked in "Hollywierd", and seen the good and bad of military advisors. And ironically, the best and the worst was the same person.

I first met Dale Dye in 1985 when we was working on his first movie, Invaders From Mars. They had real Marines as extras, but he really did not have a clue. We had to correct the actors, so they would talk and wear their equipment correctly. And then there was the typical "Hollywood Stuff", like firing a DRAGON antitank weapon inside of a small 10'x10' room (once again, IRL it would not detonate that close, and everybody would have been injured or worse from backblast).

But fast forward 12 years, I worked with him again on Starship Troopers, and he really got it down. He had a crack team of former military that helped him get everything just right. And it showed in that movie, along with 2 of his later projects, Saving Private Ryan and Band Of Brothers.

Scorpion89 said:

Off the top of my head I can think of only two movie's with-in the last 20 Years that were close to being true to the Story and History.

Gettysburg and Gods and Generals

One movie that I haven't seen yet but what I understand shows the actually right uniforms and manners is Valkyrie. Yes Tom Cruise playing a German Officer with an American Accent is hard to get past but at least they followed the facts.

Click to expand...

Didn't you know they had Nazi officers specially trained to sound like Tom Cruise?

American said:

Didn't you know they had Nazi officers specially trained to sound like Tom Cruise?

Click to expand...

:rofl:mrgreen::doh Thats to funny

The worst movies are usually those portraying WWII dogfights...633 squadron was epic...Me-108 hunting Mosquitoes :doh

bub said:

The worst movies are usually those portraying WWII dogfights...633 squadron was epic...Me-108 hunting Mosquitoes :doh

Click to expand...

Well with all do respect to the Aviation related movieres of the late 60s thru mid 70's there weren't allot of 109 out their yes battle of Britian had 14 ex Spanish Buchard Birds (Merlin Engined Me-109G) but it wasn't till Black 6 did we see the first actual Me-109 take to the air.

As for movie's like Tora Tora Tora the Hollywood Zeros/Kate and Vals look very good have had the chance to fly both one of the Vals and two of the Zeros I can tell you they are fun to fly.

If it wasn't for Movies like Battle of Britain/Catch-22 and one of my favorite TV Shows Ba Ba Black Sheep allot of the Warbirds used in these movies and show would have ended up in the scrap yard.