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"GUNNER PALACE"
(2005) (Documentary) (PG-13)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
*Mild Minor Extreme Moderate Extreme
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Mild None None Extreme Extreme
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Moderate Mild Minor Heavy *Mild


QUICK TAKE:
Documentary: A look at the men and women of the U.S. military as they live and work in the uncertain and dangerous conditions of post-war Iraq.
PLOT:
Plot: Documentary filmmaker Michael Tucker spends several months living with and chronicling the lives of various men and women of the U.S. military as they live in the partially bombed out palace once owned by Uday Hussein and go about their varied and often dangerous duties of keeping the peace and trying to round up suspected terrorists in post-war Iraq.
WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
If they're interested in the realities of war and the post-war situation in Iraq, they might.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13
On appeal for strong language throughout, violent situations and some drug references.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
The various soldiers all appear as themselves, soldiers in a hostile locale who use strong profanity, smoke and/or try to blow off steam, anxiety and fear any way they can.
CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.


(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).


OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
Here's a look at the content found in this documentary that was re-rated, on appeal from the filmmakers, from its original R rating down to a PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 42 "f" words (yes, you read that right), while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Some brief, but sexually explicit dialogue is present (while a computer screen separately shows an onscreen graphic describing an oral sex service), as are various rap songs (on the soundtrack or performed by the soldiers) that contain extreme profanity.

We hear the sounds of war-related violence (gunfire and explosions), a great deal of weapons are carried, and various people are noted as having been killed, but there's very little actual onscreen violence. Some of the various raids on suspected terrorist hideouts and other such scenes may be unsettling or suspenseful to some viewers as we never know what's going to happen next.

A local kid is noted as being a drug addict (and glue sniffer), while a U.S. soldier briefly comments on his abundant drug use and drinking in his past. Some soldiers smoke, and some bad attitudes are present (mainly in the form of terrorists and/or turncoats). Finally, some imitative behavior occurs, mainly in the form of soldiers performing various rap songs, while some brief, crude humor is present.

Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there's a great deal of jumpy, handheld camerawork.


ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • Beyond one instance noted below, there's no actual use, but there is drug-related talk.
  • We see a local orphan boy who's noted as being a glue sniffer and drug addict.
  • A soldier states that no beer or alcohol is allowed.
  • We see some soldiers drinking what looks like beer, but based on other comments about there being no such beverages, it might be something else.
  • Wilf states that he did a lot of drugs and drinking in the past (as another soldier acts out what he's saying, including making a pot smoking gesture/movement).
  • A comment is made about Wilf having gone for 300 days without beer.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • We see a sign on a toilet in the palace that says "No sh*tting, piss only."
  • Wilf wears a T-shirt that reads, "My ass stinks like sh*t."
  • We briefly see a man vomit into his hand (with some running out from that to the ground).
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • The Iraqi terrorists obviously have bad attitudes, but some may view some of the U.S. forces as treating some of their detainees in a harsh or unjustified fashion (such as when we see a pile of detainees -- possible terrorists -- in a truck where they're lying in rows on top of others).
  • We see Wilf clowning and dancing around while dressed like a stereotypical Arab, and later wearing a fake, but symbolic and related ethnic beard.
  • We hear that a former Iraqi interpreter is now a terrorist suspect.
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • As the various units go on patrols and/or raids throughout the city, there's the overriding feeling that something bad may occur at any moment.
  • A soldier slowly approaches a small package on the street that may contain an explosive (it doesn't).
  • We see the soldiers on a tense, nighttime raid where they enter a potentially volatile situation with their guns drawn.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • Machine guns/Handguns/Automatic weapons: Carried by soldiers and others and fired off-screen (we hear the sounds of gunshots).
  • Helicopter gunships/Tanks: Seen in action around the city.
  • We hear the sound of gunfire (presumably fired into the air) from wedding celebrations.
  • We see a soldier playing a first person shooter video game where he mows down several such characters on the screen.
  • A raid finds RPGs (rocket propelled grenades) on a rooftop.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "I don't give a f*ck," "Go f*cking kill something," "F*ck you," "M*therf*cker," "Holy f*cking sh*t," "We don't give a f*ck," "Suck pretty f*cking bad," "Get the f*ck down," "Piece of sh*t," "No sh*tting, piss only" (seen written on a toilet), "Oh sh*t," "Bullsh*t," "Someone who doesn't give a sh*t," "Freaking," "Hell on wheels" (seen written), "Operation grab-ass" (seen written), "Shut up," "Frickin,'" "What the hell was that?" "Sucks" and "Calm your ass down."
  • Various soldiers perform various styles of rap songs.
  • Wilf wears a T-shirt that reads, "My ass stinks like sh*t."
  • Miscellaneous soldiers have varying styles of tattoos.
  • A soldier has some gold-covered teeth in his mouth.
  • We hear the sound of gunfire from wedding celebrations.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • None.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • None.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • Various songs on the soundtrack and rap bits by soldiers have repeated uses of the "f" word, other expletives, phrases such as "nigger," "faggot" and "bitch," lyrics about violence ("put a slug in your mug"), drugs, and more.
  • PROFANITY
  • At least 42 "f" words (4 used with "mother," 2 used sexually), 23 "s" words, 1 slang term for breasts ("boobs" - written), 5 hells (1 written), 3 asses (1 written), 2 craps, 2 damns and 1 use of "Oh God."
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • There are comments about Uday Hussein's bedroom (with its circular bed) being called "the love shack."
  • We see a screensaver or web page shot on a computer that reads "$10 blowjobs."
  • We see a male soldier floating on some inflatable thing in a pool, with the bottom of his swim trunks hiked up high on his thighs.
  • A local man and soldier talk to the camera, with the local man saying, "We both want to f*ck." The soldier jokes, "Not each other" and then adds about the other man, "He might want to f*ck me," but then says it's not the other way around.
  • A local man keeps saying something about Saddam and sex (seen in subtitles).
  • We see the word "boobs" written on a wall.
  • SMOKING
  • Various soldiers smoke or hold cigars and/or cigarettes.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • We briefly see some soldiers caring for or at least visiting some young kids in an orphanage (but there's no talk of their parents, etc.).
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • War and what it's like to be in one, versus how the TV news and/or politicians portray it back home.
  • Being in the military.
  • A soldier justifies military killing as a matter of killing or being killed.
  • The fact that some units had to use Iraqi scrap metal as armor for their vehicles.
  • The fact that locals working with the military are called traitors by some of their own people.
  • The comment that unlike a movie, war has no end.
  • A soldier comments that they're not fighting for a better Iraq, but just to stay alive while there.
  • VIOLENCE
  • While we hear the sounds of warfare and other violence, and hear of related deaths, very little violent footage appears on the screen.
  • We hear the pop-pop-pop sound of gunfire in the distance.
  • We hear the sounds of mortar explosions.
  • We hear the sound of an explosion and then gunfire.
  • We see a soldier playing a first person shooter video game where he mows down several such characters on the screen.
  • We hear another loud explosion.
  • A humvee crashes through a gate during a nighttime raid.
  • Soldiers use a cable to pull down a stubborn door during another raid (after trying to pound it open/down).
  • We hear the sound of an explosion.
  • Some young kids throw rocks at a convoy. Later, adults do the same (we hear the sound of the rocks hitting the vehicles).
  • There's talk of deaths of various soldiers, but we don't see any related footage (although we see some wounded soldiers being loaded onto a transport plane).
  • We see a pile of detainees -- possible terrorists -- in a truck (where they're lying in rows on top of others).
  • We hear that various people we've seen in the film have been killed (no footage).



  • Reviewed February 28, 2005 / Posted March 11, 2005

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