The Kill Team Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

The Kill Team Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 17, 2020

“The Kill Team” was originally a 2013 documentary from director Dan Krauss, looking into the madness of the military in Afghanistan, singling out the story of Private Adam Winfield, who witnessed his fellow soldiers commit murder, taking down civilians, and felt powerless to stop it. After creating other documentaries, Krauss returns to the Winfield saga with “The Kill Team,” this time dramatizing the events, giving real world agony to actors for interpretation. In a marketplace overwhelmed by tales of Middle East war and agony, Krauss brings intimacy to the screen, examining the moral ungluing of boy who wanted to become a man while in service, only to face his future as a monster. While there’s little reason to revisit the story, Krauss makes his points vividly, finding an effective thriller this time around.

Eager to do his part for America, following in the footsteps of his father, William (Rob Morrow), Andrew (Nat Wolff) is filled with pride as he’s sent to Afghanistan. Quickly overwhelmed by the reality of service, paired with more aggressive young men who live to engage the enemy, Andrew is stunned when his loses a superior officer to an IED. The dead man’s replacement is Sergeant Deeks (Alexander Skarsgard) a veteran of the war and a shadowy type who offers no sympathy for anyone, preferring to lead through intimidation. Deeks is hard on the men, getting into their heads, using their anger and fear to help cover for murders committed against resistant natives. Andrew senses something wrong about the situation, trying to achieve a better understanding of Deeks’s plans, uncovering the ugly truth about Deeks and his methods. Trying to communicate his horror to William, Andrew fears his life is in danger, with his platoon playing games with the “snitch,” leaving him stuck in a dangerous situation.

“The Kill Team” isn’t about the enormity of war. It examines a personal situation for Andrew, with Krauss using the story as a way to identify greater problems that exist in the military, including those involved in combat. Andrew is imagined as a good kid, raised by a man who only saw a desk during his stint, while his son is being sent to the other side of the world, tasked with bringing order to a lawless, shapeless country that doesn’t want him there. Krauss paints a familiar portrait of Afghanistan pressures, but the specifics remain effective, watching as Andrew encounters angry locals who speak a different language, while seemingly innocent situations of cultural connection turn into disasters as hidden explosives are triggered. One such incident destroys Andrew’s superior, leaving him rattled and open to Deeks’s darker method of command.

Deeks is a hard man, but he’s also a seducer, allowing Andrew to understand his home life, where he’s a father to a young boy. He also entertains Andrew’s desire for promotion. However, Deeks has no level of compassion, turned into machine of vengeance while witnessing the enemy take the lives of his fellow soldiers, communicating such hate through acts of demoralization, soon making Andrew fight his competition for the advancement. He keeps the guys fueled on grilled meat and porno magazines, cashing in such loyalty when the first murder occurs, which Andrew isn’t directly part of, only picking up on fragments of the crime scene. The moment knocks him flat, commencing his own investigation of the shooting, which leads him to the understanding that Deeks is using service to take lives. Suspense comes from such a realization, and attempted contact with William, who insists proper authorities should be notified, while Andrew fears such a report might make him the next target.

The Kill Team Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation offers sharpness throughout, delivering excellent detail with military uniforms, which retain compelling textures and register fine particles of dust. Set tours also enjoy clarity, offering a look at decorative achievements. Outdoors remains dimensional, handling the open world of the war zone. Colors are intentionally downplayed to represent spare service gear and living spaces, which favor earth tones. Brightness brings out deep blues for skies, and skintones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Compression issues are mild, with a few scenes invaded by banding.

The Kill Team Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix takes care of battle zone needs, delivering sharp, crackly gunfire, while explosions register with needed immediacy. Sound effects are varied, and atmospherics do well in the surrounds, with a sure sense of outdoor position and accurate room tones for living spaces. Mild separation effects are encountered. Dialogue exchanges are clear. Scoring is defined, supporting with width and depth as needed. Low-end has some weight with transport vehicles and explosions.

The Kill Team Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features writer/director Dan Krauss.

• "The Reality of Courage" (11:45, HD) returns to Krauss, who provides a brief examination of his work on "The Kill Team." Adapting his original documentary, Krauss was interested in creating a realistic look at the experience of war, paying close attention to the shaping of character, providing dimension as much as possible. Themes are assessed, direction is detailed, and casting is explored, with Krauss praising his ensemble. He also celebrates tech credits, pointing out highlights in cinematography, set construction, and costuming.

• Deleted Scene (3:19, HD) examines a heated conversation between Andrew and a concerned superior.

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included.

The Kill Team Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

While "The Kill Team" is based on a true story, it also plays like a remake of "Casualties of War," the searing 1989 Brian De Palma Vietnam drama (based on an actual incident) that also detailed the panicky interplay between a whistleblower and the platoon eager to silence him. Perhaps Krauss is simply underlining how this issue is evergreen in the military, but, to his credit, he doesn't push too cinematically with the central crisis, limiting threats for Andrew to a few choice moments of extreme unease. "The Kill Team" is potent, supported with strong performances from actors who aren't known for consistent work, and Krauss keeps the endeavor crisply paced, remaining with essential scenes of growing paranoia, giving Andrew's arc of psychological and moral erosion the exact definition it deserves.