Review of Man Down

The direction that the film is attempting is valiant, but sadly as someone who has served, and understands combat this movie misses the mark completely. Man Down is a movie that wants to make a statement about PTSD and suffering but it handles the subject matter like a bull in a china shop. It handles the subject matter just like "The Hurt Locker", it will make most people emotional, but it will annoy every veteran because of how inaccurate the movie is about…well everything. Dito Montiel, the director, wanted to take an emotional movie about the ravages of war but his direction and understanding is terrible. Instead of showing real symptoms of PTSD it makes the main character look schizophrenic and crazy. This is exacerbated further by the non-linear story telling that at times jumps around the time line way too much. The very few times you begin to get into the scene, suddenly you jump to the main character and suddenly he has a beard and we are in the crazy phase again. Shai tries his best, but unlike in Fury he doesn't capture the essence of the Marine. It might be because he went from an eccentric secondary character into a crazy main character. The odd Soldier/Marine is a tough character to play and an even harder character to carry a movie.

This movie is a 4/10 for a civilian, lower if you are a veteran 2/10(not because it is about PTSD but because it handles it so poorly).