actionfilm-2 Well made and fairly watchable film, despite the absence of any combat action or visible enemy. What is surprising is the great accolade the film has received among IMDb reviewers for it's insight and statement, I think it's undeserved. A anti-war film? And so what, when the last time you saw a serious pro-war film? If that's one's criteria for declaring a film great then this is the non-action war film to watch. The writer/director has said he was unhappy with the way the war was being portrayed by the mainstream media. If the U.K. media is anything like the U.S. mainstream media, which has taken a non supportive view of the war in the middle east for the longest time (thou they are less vocal about it since the current President took office) then I'm not sure why the filmmaker is concerned. Though if radical Islamic groups ever decide to look for a jihadist propaganda film they need look no further than The Patrol, with it's "this is not your war" message written all over it. Again, from an American perspective, soldiers fighting this war experience fear and frustration among many other things, but generally speaking they recognize the enemy for what it is, and continue to fight because Islamic terror against the U.S began long before 9/11 and will not end until it is defeated. The characters in The Patrol stop fighting and abandon the war, but to be true to reality the film should acknowledge how Al Queda, the Taliban, and others would gladly follow them home and continue their slaughter. Though politicians try to hobble the military, it does not prevent soldiers from conducting themselves like the professionals that they are.

Claire-992-326737 My boyfriend persuaded me to go along and see this and I'm very pleased we did. It's a beautifully shot piece of independent cinema with a thought provoking storyline brought to life very well by the cast. It's the first film I have seen about UK soldiers on the frontline in Afghanistan which gave it a very unique angle. While clearly not having the budget of the Hurt Locker i can see why parallels have been drawn as it draws you into the emotions, stress and pressure of being in a war zone. I also loved that it doesn't have an agenda (maybe unlike the previous reviewer?!). Would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys independent cinema and who is interested in a soldier's view of the conflict. Very enjoyable.

sam-1384 This is a triumph of British cinema, giving an account of a war which has come to embody the West's reaction to terrorism. An army patrol with no understanding of their mission, overcome by the futility of their orders and betrayed by their politicians - an embodiment not just of our forces' presence in Afghanistan but of the nation as a whole. An ever constant threat, an enemy never seen, and the boredom of military life - this is a tough act to pull off in cinema and retain the audience, but The Patrol succeeds by virtue of its honest approach. We empathise with the individual cast members and this makes the conclusion all the more gut wrenching. Any war film which doesn't follow the "gung ho" line will have its detractors, especially when depicting current conflicts with such brutal honesty. The Patrol deserves to be seen by as wide an audience as possible.

chicagopoetry The Patrol is one of the most realistic war films ever made. It's about a small team of British soldiers with "a job to do" in Afghanistan. The only problem is, like the war itself, the job (Operation Icarus) makes no sense. They are sent in to protect a small, all but abandoned village for the "Afghan National Army" (that is nowhere to be found), with obsolete weapons and faulty equipment. What starts out as a three day mission gets extended day in and day out until the soldier's moral becomes at an all time low because they know "this isn't their war" to begin with. They have no stake in it. There is no purpose to it because they know when they leave the Taliban will simply move right back into the town. They are there for one reason and one reason only, because someone somewhere gave them the order to be there despite all logic. The combat scenes are very realistic in that they aren't glamorized but depicted as they happen, just sporadic fighting during which they kill people for no reason whatsoever and they get killed for no reason whatsoever. I can see how this film upsets those who want to cling to the notion that being a soldier and following orders is somehow heroic, but when the war makes no sense and you are asked to die for no logical reason whatsoever, what else can one do but begin to disobey orders. Standing down from an unjust war is the only patriotic thing to do. Everyone should see this film. It is truly realistic and truly a gem.