Directed by Dito Montiel, Man Down tackles one of the most forgotten issues that our veterans face after they return home from the battlefront, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
PTSD is a disorder that develops when a person experiences a scary, dangerous, or traumatic event. This disorder is very common to strike a soldier coming home from battle as they have seen or done things that scarred them. PTSD is one of the main reasons we have so many veterans out living on the streets. Not only does this disorder affect the person, but also their family. Man Down perfectly shows the viewer what so many United States veterans go through once they come home.
United States Marine Gabriel Drummer (Shia Labeouf) returns back home from Afghanistan, but he fears that the place he has returned to is not so different from back in the Middle East. Accompanied by his best-friend, Devin Roberts (Jai Courtney), Gabriel desperately searches for his family in the remains of his hometown.
Praises
Shia Labeouf is outstanding in his performance as Sgt. Drummer. Labeouf goes about this performance in a very different manner than his previous roles. The intensity in his eyes during emotional scenes had me more invested in the character and the plot itself. In a review by Variety, they compared Shia Labeouf to Marlon Brando, and I would have to agree. He is definitely one of the best actors in Hollywood.
This might be Jai Courtney's breakout role. Before Man Down, I did not think too highly of Courtney's ability to act. He was never "bad", but he also wasn't memorable in his past performances. In Man Down, Courtney was awesome! He was a total bad-ass, and I loved every second of it! His chemistry with Labeouf was off the charts amazing, and it made the movie even better.
The story was a great one. It started off slow, but eventually picked up during the second act. Although it was slow, it worked in favor of the storytelling and helped me better keep up with the past & present sequences. By the time the end credits hit, I was emotionally invested. The ending to this powerful story was a very impactful and devastating one that left me in tears. Rarely do I cry during a movie, but Man Down hit me straight in the feels.
Polishes
The CGI was forgettable and should've been less utilized. Although this does not ruin the movie for me, there were moments where the CGI distracted me from the actual story.
The editing was a bit choppy, and whenever the movie would go back in time, it did not state so. Again, this does not ruin the movie for me, but it's a small error that could've been fixed in the editing room.
Verdict
Amazing - 90%
Man Down delivered a very powerful message during its heavily emotional story and left me wanting more. Although there were minor issues, they do not take away from such a great film. While only a movie, Man Down urges its audience to wake up and make a change! We need to protect our troops once they come home from the battlefield. If we are able to train our soldiers how to fight, kill or defend themselves in a situation, we need to be able to help them overcome any psychological issues that stick with them during the process.
Facts
The following facts were displayed at the end of the film.
- 1 in 5 Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are diagnosed with PTSD.
- 200,000 Veterans go homeless each night.
- 20 Veterans commit suicide every day.
Memorable Quote
"The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!" - Eleanor Roosevelt
