My god...That was...
PLEASE WATCH THE VIDEO BEFORE READING THIS REVIEW AS IT CONTAINS SPOILERS! IT IS ALSO KINDA LONG, SO BARE WITH ME!
I would like to consider myself a decently tough individual, hardened by the harsh realities that have made themselves known throughout my life. I have lost family, both by blood and bond, to war, violence, drugs, and accidents. This would seem to have made me more than a bit jaded in terms of life and death. People die, that's that....But it's not.
The pain of that loss, no matter once or a million times, weighs heavy on the heart. It's a brutal thing, losing someone you love and care for. It doesn't matter if it's dramatically or in their sleep, it's never easy.
With all that said, I rarely, if ever, cried when I heard or saw them die. Maybe that makes me less of a man, I am unsure. Maybe I am jaded by death or maybe I am so detached from the world around me by the harshness of my reality that I am unable to cry. Again, I am unsure. But does my splurge have a point? Yes it does.
While watching this, I found myself entranced by the simplistic beauty of what I was seeing. As they spoke, the honesty of their words bled through. Just a movie or no, the truth in what they said was just that...the truth. A more honest or happier moment could not be asked for. When the buzzing began, I instantly realized what was going to happen, even before the words proclaiming me right appeared. Am I psychic? Hardly. Having known loss and experienced pain, I know the greatest ender of dreams.
War.
Some people can profit and even prosper in it. But instead of taking a broad look on the subject, think of the individual. Each and every one of us is affected by War in some way, either for good or ill. None so much so as the innocent. It is said that in War, no one is innocent. This is a misconception. No one starts off as impure or stained, slighted or wronged.
This short clip, though an introduction into something far greater...Showed a very profound, deeply moving, and altogether terrifying concept. Everyone starts of innocent...But War...War changes us. It kills, destroys, ruins, enslaves, bends, breaks, and crushes us. It can drive men to do horrible things in it's name.
War changes our perception of our fellow human beings. What was once a man from another country is now the enemy. A monster. Evil. A demon masquerading as a man. It drives us to kill these men and to them, we are the demons.
Good and evil play no part in War save in the minds of the wronged. They are different than the innocent as they have experienced pain and suffering. What once was beautiful and serene is now broken, stripped of innocence, and shown first hand the horrors of loss, grieving over that which was precious and cherished. The wronged justly seek revenge and the War goes on in an unbroken cycle til that which brought on the war is dead. No, beyond dead. The full wrath of the wronged, on all sides, must be brought full force, and that which is full of loss and pain will be made to be seen. And whomever's pain is greater is called the victor, for he is most in need of revenge. But what can be called a measure of pain? Is not all loss the greatest loss in the minds of those who feel it? War does not carry scales and laughs at those who seek to weigh their pain with that of others.
Having said this, the young man in this short has every right to be angry. Has every right to seek vengeance, should he so wish it. But so will every man and women he hurts to fulfill it.
But to my original point, I am not a man who cries often, having seen, heard, felt, and done what I have. Whilst watching this, I came to be breathless as I watched the planes crest the horizon. Felt the pangs of fear as the bombs started dropping. Even though I knew what was going to happen, I watched in hope that it would not. I caught myself whispering, "No no no no...." as the final bomb exploded and the screen turned black. As I gazed at the billowing bit of cloth, I started to cry. Big soppy tears touched my cheek and I started bawling.
That's all I wanted to say.