Nick Broomfield’s Battle for Haditha might not be a work of perfection, but it does so many things right that it deserves to be placed in the upper register of narrative features exposing the complex horrors of war. Broomfield’s latest foray into fiction filmmaking is a hyper-charged reenactment of just one of the many unspeakable tragedies that have resulted from America’s participation in the second Iraq War. While it’s virtually impossible not to over-moralize when dealing with such truly horrific source material, Broomfield does his best to stay out of the way and let the tragedy speak for itself.

It has been well documented that on November 19th, 2005, in Haditha, insurgents bombed a convoy of American soldiers, killing a beloved US Marine. His furious and vengeful companions retaliated by slaughtering twenty-four Iraqis, including several women and children. Broomfield recreates the two days surrounding this event with unsettling immediacy. His aim is not to make us feel like we are reflecting upon a terrible incident that occurred several years before. He wants to place us there, in that complicated, confusing moment, where we are forced to react viscerally to what we are witnessing. In doing so, he has captured the complicated dynamics of war more successfully than if he had taken a removed, hindsight-laden approach.

While watching Battle for Haditha, it becomes clear that the government and media’s shameful censorship of genuine battle footage throughout the second Iraq War—especially with regards to the resulting carnage—lit a strong fire in Broomfield. And while his film doesn’t address this issue directly, one cannot help but notice the contrast between Battle for Haditha’s harrowing, on-the-ground footage and the nightly newscasts that do nothing to make the war feel immediate and real. Broomfield has made a universal war picture, to be sure, but he has also given us a convincing glimpse into this particular war at a time when there’s no other way for us to feel it for ourselves.

There were certainly many different movies Broomfield could have made out of this tragic situation. He could have produced a probing investigative documentary as he did with Biggie & Tupac. He could have gone the Brian de Palma route, delivering a stilted, caricatured, inexcusable mockery of a similarly tragic situation as de Palma did in Redacted. He could have made a star-heavy, though still powerful, spectacle such as Saving Private Ryan. Instead, he adopted a technique similar to Paul Greengrass, who populated his stomach-wrenching United 93 with unfamiliar faces and made a work of fiction that plays like a non-judgmental, present-second documentary. Broomfield’s sensitivity as a director and non-fiction background are perfect for this style. Using jarring hand-held cinematography and digital video further establishes a documentary-like atmosphere.

What adds an even more realistic air to the film is Broomfield’s potentially risky decision to employ non-actors. Rather than forcing these non-professionals to step into preordained, rigidly constructed roles, he urged them to bring their own history and baggage to their characters. While the results aren’t always convincing (some of the insurgents’ dialogue sounds like screenwriter’s exposition), there is one indisputable revelation. Former Iraq War soldier Elliot Ruiz’s portrayal of the tormented Corporal Ramirez is an utter revelation and one of the most nakedly riveting performances of recent memory. His breakdown scene is worth the price of admission alone. Ruiz’s ability to express such a wide range of conflicting emotions is staggering. It’s as if we’re watching an actual soldier grapple with his terrible predicament. That’s because we are. It’s a shame that Ruiz most likely won’t be remembered come awards season, for his performance is utterly phenomenal and deserves to be recognized. It makes a good film even better.

— Michael Tully

Tags: Battle for Haditha, Biggie & Tupac, Brian De Palma, Elliot Ruiz, Haditha, Iraq War, Michael Tully, military, Nick Broomfield, Paul Greengrass, Redacted, Saving Private Ryan, United 93, US Marines