Foxhole (2021) Movie Script
1
The privilege of
service seems to wither as each
battle passes,
and what lingers in the soul
is not the glory of combat...
but the horrors
of its aftermath.
I am anxious to know
what should come next...
if I should die or
live to see victory.
Still, I am not one
to succumb to fear,
and while it gives me
pause to see so many fallen,
I am resolute in knowing that
should I fall and lay beside
them, I have
served a noble cause.
No, no, no, no...
That was a pistol shot.
I've been thinking...
how come they ain't sent
somebody up with an update?
I mean, hell, we've been out
here almost three days now.
Two.
Well, feels like a week already.
When the shootin' starts...
you'll wish we
were back diggin'.
That is one stubborn
rock you got there, Wilson.
Lemme help you out.
No, I'll get it.
Take care of yourself.
Say Morton, how come we
ain't see you writing your lady?
Makin' me think
you're preoccupied,
like you know
something we don't.
I'd like to be able
to write my wife...
but I'm too busy doing your
job for you while you sit there
wastin' time.
All alone up in that
Massachusetts farmhouse of yours
must get pretty lonely.
I just...
I just hope she
don't forget about you.
You like
the sound of your own voice,
don't you?
Don't mind it.
My wife, Gale...
she's tough.
A lot tougher than you, Clark.
Best not speak of her again.
You know, if we really
wanted to win this war,
we'd just boycott
Southern tobacco.
Mine ain't Southern.
We grow that there up in
Maryland where it's damp.
They been growin'
up in New York too,
if you can believe it.
Turned an old tobacco plantation
down south into prisons for
captured Union men.
Make the slaves watch
to keep 'em scared.
Make it seem like
they're winnin'.
Ain't that somethin'?
How do you know all that?
I keep my ears open.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Action front.
Gimme a cartridge,
I need a cartridge.
Wilson...
Oh my God, Wilson.
Down, get down.
Fuck.
What y'all doin'
bringin' a corpse back here?
Hey, pistol, pistol,
pistol, pistol, pistol!
Give him some water.
He needs to be sewn
up or it'll just keep bleeding.
I'm all right, I'm
all right, I gotta get going.
- You all oughta carry on.
- No, no, no, no, no.
No, stay, stay.
You heard the man, Clark.
- What?
- Dig!
What are you doing?
Take it from him!
Hey, hey, it's not loaded.
Let him keep it.
Turn him over.
What's your name, soldier?
Jackson, sir.
Private.
3rd Mississippi infantry.
I'm glad you found us, Jackson.
My name is Morton.
This is Conrad.
We're from all over.
It looks like a clean cut.
It's deep, too.
He's bleeding on the inside.
Go get your kit.
You see much action, Private?
Some.
Hold that down, hard.
He needs a surgeon.
A... a surgeon,
that means that...
We gonna fix you
up, don't you worry.
What are you talking about?
We can't fix him up.
We don't have
anything that we need here.
You plan to let him bleed out?
He needs a surgeon,
we have to take him in.
To the field hospital?
You think they'll
treat a nigger?
Well... he's just...
I mean, even if they would,
there's no way you survive the
trip.
That's gotta be five miles out.
We'll never know
if we don't try.
They won't take him.
Don't you see?
Not after this massacre.
I ain't seen a single
stretcher-bearer since sun-up
yesterday.
If you wanna help him,
you gotta do it here.
- I saw them...
- What did he say?
What did you see?
Soldier, answer me.
What did you see?
If I tell you...
you'll leave me here for dead.
Don't you play no games, boy.
Jackson...
we are not going to
leave you out here to die,
but you've gotta
tell us what you saw.
Why should I trust you?
What, you gonna
let him talk to you like that?
Ungrateful son of a bitch.
Tell you what, I'll
beat it out of him.
Hey, hey!
If you've got somethin'
to say, boy, come here!
Get your hands off me!
- All right, all right!
- Up on the ridge...
I could see it
right over the fog.
It must have been at
least three regiments.
I reckon they'll be swarming
these hills no later than first
light tomorrow.
I swear on my life...
that is what I saw.
First light...
Nine hours.
This doesn't change anything.
We still have a job to do and
this soldier still needs to get
to a doctor.
Jesus Christ, what in
the hell has gotten into you,
Morton?
He told the truth and it
doesn't bode well for him.
So what?
We leave and come back to find
these hills crawling with the
rebel army?
No, if we're quick, we can
get back well before then.
And leave our
work here unfinished?
That don't sound
like you, Morton.
Look at him, he's
half dead already.
We'd be accused of abandoning
our post for no good reason.
You got something to say?
Uh, I think he
should have a chance.
Why should he get a
chance when all those men out
there didn't?
It's too late for them now.
But he's still alive.
It wouldn't be right to just
let him die like all the others.
"All the others?"
Those men out there
gave their lives.
That's why, don't you see?
It'd be a sin to let him die.
I mean, when all
is said and done,
it could be a whole lot better
for him after this is over.
Hey, you.
You free before you joined up?
What's that got to do with it?
A great deal, I'd say.
He's a
soldier, just like you and me,
and that's all he is, as
far as you're concerned.
That may be, but I...
Still, I can't help but wonder
what he was doing wandering
around all alone.
I ain't heard of any
colored units nearby.
You boys?
It just seems to me like
he coulda been deserting.
Well, he must have got
separated from the rest of his
unit.
That unit of his 3rd
Mississippi's been on our tail
since Vicksburg.
Vicksburg?
That's before Clark and
my units joined up...
All right, all right.
As far as I know,
if he's a slave,
we have no obligation or duty to
put his life before our orders...
You oughta hear
yourself, you make me sick!
I'm just trying to
think this through!
Can't you tell it's the
right thing to do, Clark?
I'm not sure it's
the right thing to do.
It would mean abandoning our
post and going against our
orders; I'm not
sure that's right.
You all can dig,
I'll take him myself.
Like hell you will!
He... he... he'd need a stretcher.
That's two men!
We don't know if there's more
graybacks waiting for us out
there in the fog.
One got him.
We don't know which
direction they're moving.
We could walk right into 'em.
If Jackson's right
about the rebel position,
they'd be coming up that
road, just past the ridge there,
and the hosital is
in that direction.
You think it's worth the risk?
Yeah.
I don't think we
should let this man die.
Probably already have.
We'll never know
if we don't take him in.
Conrad, you'll take him.
And Clark, since you've proved
yourself such a lousy digger,
you'll go too.
Why do you get to decide that?!
Would you prefer we voted on it?
Morton and I'll
stay here and finish,
and the two of you will
be back here by nightfall.
Back?!
You think you can make us
take him all the way there
and come all the way back?
Clark?
Fashion Jackson a stretcher.
Look...
we're stuck out in this
fog, waiting to kill,
probably be killed.
That's out of our hands.
But this man's life,
whether he lives or dies,
that's up to us.
There's honor in this.
- Honor?
- That's right.
We're not out here
to dig holes, Clark.
Well, what are we here to do?
Clark...
we're here to
answer a higher calling.
And I know that
lives inside you.
I don't think it does.
Well...
Honor's gotten just about
everybody I know killed!
And I'm loyal to
Union, just like you boys!
They tell me what
direction to shoot, I'll shoot!
I ain't got no
skin in this game!
I don't know what no colored
folk ever done for me and I
ain't too keen on dyin' for 'em!
So I'll the build
the boy a stretcher.
I'll carry him five
miles down to the hospital.
I just ask you stop treatin' me
like shit all the time just for
having some interest
into self-preservation!
And I'm takin' that pistol.
Get under his arm.
Easy, easy.
Small loads.
Light, small loads.
Three, two, one, move.
Jackson.
Don't you go dyin' on me, boy.
Yeah, right here, all right.
One, two, three.
Come on.
Wait, hold it, hold it.
Push!
Push!
Push.
We gotta move fast.
Keep your guard up.
Macht weiter, sei frei!
Goddamn!
Cleared 25 yards.
Ready for posts from
here to the Browning.
Goddamn flare blew our cover.
Good work, boys.
Jackson...
you still glad you came?
I always
wanted to be on the frontline.
If they'd only
issue you a rifle,
you'd be a force to
be reckoned with.
Yes, sir.
Shall we go the other way
and try to clear the new wire
breach?
First light's in two hours.
Now's our chance.
We're never gonna
get this close again.
We're gonna set
posts from here to Browning,
and then we clear the breach.
Let's go, boys.
Wait!
Wait, wait, wait.
Nice try.
Eat it.
Tie him up.
What's he got?
Smokes.
Are you all alone?
What are you doing out here?
Are there others?
Are you a scout?
Come on, answer me.
Sprecken zee English?!
Shh!
Answer me!
Sprecken zee English?!
Morton, shh!
Shh.
Get out your dictionary, Wilson.
Ask him if he's alone.
What are
you doin' out here, huh?
Deserting?
I can't read it, it's too
dark, the print's too small.
Allein?
Allein tu dust...
Damn it.
Morton, we have
to turn him in, don't we?
We haven't finished laying wire.
Sir, it must be protocol to
turn him in as a prisoner of
war.
We can keep him here
'til the job's done.
He might slit our throats
the first chance he gets.
Not if he's tied up.
Or just speak up and
give away our position.
Clark's right, we
can't take the chance.
Not on a night as clear as this.
Huns can see you think
on a night like this.
He surrendered to us.
Wilson, isn't the
protocol in this situation...
There is no protocol,
there's just a job to do.
Respectfully, sir, you do not
have the authority to execute a
prisoner of war.
He's not a prisoner
unless I take him prisoner.
Right now, he's just a...
he's just some Fritz who
jumped into our cover.
We can't just kill him.
My orders are to lay this
wire and get you boys back safe,
and I intend to do so.
So what are we
gonna do, Corporal?
You gotta make a decision.
Snap his neck.
We have two
options, as I see it.
We can take this man
prisoner and keep laying wire...
or we can execute
him on the spot.
I, for one, am against
killing an unarmed man,
particularly one
that surrendered to us.
It's not your decision to make.
Forgive me, sir, but we
can't just execute him.
That's just plain immoral.
Too up close and
personal for ya?
I'm not an educated man, but I
do believe it takes more courage
to spare a man's
life than to take it.
We're soldiers,
we're not here to save lives.
Morton, we're not out
here just layin' wire,
we are representing the
United States of America.
Who are we?
Cruel and unjust?
Or are we fair and valorous?
We'll put it to a vote.
Who's in favor
of sparing this man's life?
Hold on, I'm
not ready for a vote.
What is troubling you?
How do we know he's
not gonna sabotage us?
Because he knows his chances
of survival are better if he's
taken as a prisoner.
Well, I'd say our chances for
survival are a lot better if
he's dead.
I'm with Morton on this one.
Well, it's not much use.
It's split down the middle.
What about Jackson?
He ought to have a say.
Can't give Jackson a vote.
What do you think?
Are you goddamn kiddin' me?
He's not gonna know what's right
enough to cast aspersions.
Jackson, may I
ask you a question, sir?
What are you doin' here?
Sir?
What are you fighting for?
Same thing as you...
democracy.
I say...
we turn him in.
Why don't you give him a
vote while you're at it?
You men have all disrespected
my authority and my report will
reflect as much.
But if that's how it is, then
we're gonna have to take shifts
to guard him, which
means we'll wire slower.
I'll take the first shift.
Get movin'.
Wilson...
you stay for a minute.
What was that, huh?
I have given you no cause
to undermine my leadership.
You're right; we're
representing our country.
The last thing we need
out here is a pacifist.
I don't know about you, but I
am trying to make it home alive,
and this is putting
all of that at risk.
I just wanna kill this goddamn
bastard and be done with it.
Don't you have anything to say?
I think I've said enough.
We're wasting time.
Sir, Corporal told me
to watch the German.
They need your help out there.
Well, you look like
you was doing a fine job.
Thank you, sir,
but I... I think you would do it
better.
All right, then.
All right, well,
keep an eye on him.
So, you've been listenin'.
I read old Twain as a boy.
Bit of a... complicated feeling.
I see Wilson took
your handkerchief out.
I'm guessing you didn't
get to talking yet, though.
I made up that whole thing about
the Corporal telling me to watch
you, you know.
I wanted to talk to you...
alone.
- What is it?
- It's the German, sir.
- Did he attack you?
- He spoke, sir.
Did he?
What did he say?
Since when do you speak German?
In English, sir.
He says there's a raiding party
coming this way through the
breach, right on top of us.
He was a scout.
Bullshit.
Bullshit.
You're lying.
I heard him with my own ears.
Coward.
Now I know why they
didn't issue you a rifle.
He does not lie.
They vill come...
at the breach.
The gap in the wire.
What's goin' on?
Nothin'.
Let's go, come on.
The clock's tickin'.
Did he talk?
Hey, you've caused
enough trouble for one night.
Let's get back to work.
Jackson, what did he say?
Bullshit.
He's lying!
The gap in the wire.
They will come.
What?!
- He speaks English?!
- Who will come?!
A raiding party.
Don't listen to him.
He is just trying to get us to
leave a breach in the wire so
that his boys can
get through tomorrow.
I am not lying.
They vill come!
- Who's coming?
- German raiding party.
- Shit!
- He's lying!
Can't you see?
How do you know
they're coming this way?
They come where there
is a break in the wire.
Well, there's no break anymore.
We wired right over it.
Not the last 10 yards.
We saw you all go back.
There's still an opening.
So they will come through there.
Sir, trust him or not,
we're sitting ducks out here.
We should listen
to what he says, Morton.
It's our safest bet.
Clark, go finish
wiring the posts.
Corporal...
all due respect, there ain't no
goddamn way in hell I'm going
back out there.
You trust the Hun?
You said it yourself,
they're all backstabbers.
That don't mean I'd
bet my life on it, no way.
Conrad...
let's finish it.
You and me.
I don't think it's
a good idea, Mort.
They'd be right on top of us.
What's happening?
What is happening?
You'd take his word over mine?
If he's lying...
we would know
about it soon enough.
And where would that put him?
We're never gonna make it home.
We can't let him live.
Can't you see?
Can't you see?
God knows how many
of us he's killed.
We can't take the liberty of
sparing his life just to give
ourselves a pat on the back.
It's not about that, sir.
We gotta think
about ourselves here.
He's not gonna hurt you, Morton.
I see.
I see I'm gonna
have to do it myself.
Stop!
Please!
Don't forget
who you are fighting here.
If you fire that weapon,
we are all dead, sir!
Put the gun down!
Morton...
I need you to
lower your voice...
and put the gun down.
Corporal, you fire
that weapon, we're all dead.
Get that gun out
of my face, sir!
If you fire that gun,
we're all dead, sir.
We are all dead.
You're all gonna thank me
when you come to your senses.
You just pray I don't report you
for cowardice in the face of the
enemy.
Put the gun down.
You know we will die, sir.
Wilson...
I am trying to protect you.
I'm trying... I'm
trying to protect you.
S... stay back.
Stay back and stop it.
This is for your protection.
Dramatic music
Let him down!
Get him off that wire!
Hey, hey, we... we
got you, Morton.
We got you.
Corporal, stay
with me, Corporal.
Jackson, get him out!
Stay with me,
Corporal, stay with me.
- Get him down.
- Get it out.
I'm gonna get you out.
I'm gonna get you out, Corporal.
I got you, I got you.
Listen
I'm from New
York, I'm so cocky
I ran a play, scored
like this some hockey
I was left on the floor,
ain't nobody jock me
Now I'm 'bout to be
up, everybody watching
I'm from New
York, I'm so cocky
I ran a play, scored
like this some hockey
I was left on the floor,
ain't nobody jock me
Now I'm 'bout to be
up, everybody watching
Smoke this dope to the
brain, it'll inflame ya shit
I can't fuck with a
lame, gotta be dangerous...
hip-hop continues
playing from CD player
Knife.
This is Six Actual.
How copy?
Knife!
This is Six Actual.
How copy?
Knife!
This is Six Actual.
How copy?
Knife!
This is Six Actual.
How copy?
That's five minutes, no comms.
I just fuckin' fixed this thing.
Any news from the convoy yet?
No, sir, nothing yet.
Let's just
hope we catch up soon.
Knife, this is Six Actual.
How copy?
Fuck.
Would you turn that shit down?!
No!
No, leave it!
Leave it.
- Leave it?
- It keeps my blood pumpin'.
This is the last time
this motherfucker brings that
shit on mission.
Last time!
I don't even
listen to this shit.
Conrad, turn that shit down.
All right.
Are you calling your girlfriend?
No, bro, I gotta tell you
about a letter I just got, too.
She cheatin' on you?
So what do you
listen to then, Sarge?
Mozart?
Actually, yeah.
Mozart, Clifford Brown, Madonna.
Madonna.
Little bit of everything...
except that shit.
Oh!
How we doin', Corpsman?
About 100 miles East.
We'll be at the
village in under two hours.
It was under two
hours an hour ago.
Holy shit, a road.
It's shit.
They don't get a
lot of traffic around here.
You know something, Sarge?
Back in the day, they had big
old empires built on agriculture
out here.
Iraq, Iran, Syria,
it was all green.
Then, they over-farmed
it and it turned to dust.
Clark, did you pay
attention in school?
Yes, ma'am.
They had them some
good farming out here.
You know what?
I think we ought to give
them some of Conrad's CDs.
Might be right up their alley.
Now, Conrad, don't
worry, they already have 'em.
Don't have food or water but...
No wonder they're
pissed off, man,
'cause they used to have the
biggest empires in the world...
'til the fucking gringos showed
up and started taking names,
baby.
Fucking domination, bro!
Haha!
I hope these fuckin' villagers
are sick and starving 'cause I
need some fuckin'
hero points, bro!
Let's get some, baby!
Let's put some fuckin'
rounds down range.
Gimme that .50 cal, bro!
Let's fucking get
some contact, bro!
Fuck these
humanitarian bullshit missions.
I came here to kill bad guys, I
didn't come here to fucking give
out crayons and maps and shit.
Yo, can we get a psych
eval for my boy Clark, please?
Gale, when's Clark going home?
I don't know, you're stuck
with him for a little while.
You're gonna miss me.
I'm gonna miss you, man.
I'm out on the third.
I'm the best
shooter you got, Sarge.
I remember when I
used to count the days.
Some of us have
something to go back to.
You do you, Sarge.
Yo, you need to see this
picture of Gale's husband.
Gale, can I please show them
the picture of your husband?
He's a very
beautiful-looking man.
I particularly prefer women,
but when I saw this picture,
I started to
question those feelings,
and I would love to share
this image with the rest of the
gentlemen in this vehicle
if you do not mind, Gale.
Please, let me show.
Conrad, take a look at
the schnauzer on that...
He's go the
biggest nose I've ever seen!
That's a big nose!
That's a beautiful monument...
Take a look.
Wait, I wanna show Wilson.
- Wilson...
- Be nice.
Look at that nose.
Well, just remember:
Cyrano was a great poet.
Oh, my goodness.
Gale, let me tell
you something...
- Thank you.
- When you come to your senses,
I promise you I will make you
the best husband you could ever
- ask for.
- Oh, wow...
I'll love you forever,
through thick and thin,
and I'll better than, uh...
What's his name again?
What's your
husband's name again?
Ooh!
Sarge...
take a look at this.
I think I got something
you're gonna like, Sarge.
Knife, this is Six Actual.
How copy?
That's seven minutes, no comms.
This one?
Yeah, play that one.
- This one?
- Yeah, play that.
Okay.
I can fix it, man,
just hang on a second.
What the fuck
do you think you're doing?
- Gimme one second, Sarge.
- I'm not lighting it.
This one's for you.
Here, right here.
- Hand it over.
- Oh, shit.
What'd I tell you, hm?
Not in my motherfuckin' Humvee.
I didn't light it!
Ooh!
Knife, this is Six Actual.
How copy?
What are you doing?
Get back up there.
Get your ass back up there!
Dude!
Just leave it!
Fuck!
Fuck!
Fuck!
- Fuck!
- Jesus fucking Christ.
Fuck, man, that was a bad one!
Anybody hurt?!
Anybody hurt?
Are we engaging?
- What, what, what?!
- Stay in the Humvee!
Stay in the Humvee.
Doc, your leg.
Those... those are
my rounds, Doc.
Those are my .50 cal rounds.
Goddamn fuckers, look
what they did to my truck.
Fuck, man.
- What the fuck cut me?
- Shit.
Fuck this shit, man.
Shit.
Shit.
Come on.
- What do you see, Sarge?
- I can't tell.
Echo III,
this is Charlie Lima Alfa Romeo
Kilo, CO Juliett Alfa
Charlie Kilo Sierra Oscar...
Doc, your leg is...
Sarge?
Um...
You all right?
Yeah, Sarge.
Doc, how's that hand holding up?
I'm not sure if
it's my hand or if it's my
shoulder.
We are separated
from our convoy,
we do not know
our exact location.
Requesting evac,
requesting evac.
- How copy?
- His leg's fucked up.
Are you good, Doc?
Gale, how far out are we?
Last I checked, we were
50 miles from the gate.
There ain't
nothing for us out there.
We have to lay flat.
- Peel it back.
- We'd just melt.
Fuck.
All right, take it easy.
Okay, I got ya.
Here.
Echo
III, this is Charlie Lima Alfa
- Romeo Kilo...
- Sarge, uh...
Doc's leg, it's, uh...
Here, Sarge, let me...
Clark, any... any word?
No, Sergeant, I'm
not gettin' nothin'.
Keep at it!
I'm on the sat comm,
I'm not gettin' shit.
I'm gonna try my cell.
All right...
Come on, fuckin' ring!
Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.
I've got no
fuckin' signal, Sarge.
I'm trying to...
Got it?
Uh, yeah, okay.
Sarge, they're gonna
come back for us, right?
They're gonna send
somebody, right?!
Right now, we
can't count on that.
Here, get up there and see
if you got eyes on anything.
Doc, your leg is stuck.
It's all right, it's all
right, it is... it's stuck.
See if you can get it out.
I can't get it out, it's...
There's nothing
up here, Sarge, it's just...
It's... it's flat for
miles; there's no cover.
Oh, fuck!
Contact left!
Contact left!
Contact left, fuck!
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
Fuck, fuck!
You got eyes on 'em, Gale?!
I don't know, I don't know!
Fuck!
Fuck, RPG!
- He's got an RPG!
- Jam, Sarge!
Sarge, jam!
- Get back up there!
- Sarge, take a jam!
- We'll cover you!
- I got you covered, bro!
Go!
Hit?!
Sarge?!
Did it go through?!
There's no blood.
All I could see were
muzzle flashes out there, Sarge.
I could only make
out three shooters,
but from the sound, it could
be a whole fuckin' village out
there.
You good?
Keep eyes on that RPG.
There's a live round
ready to go in there.
Keep eyes on it.
There's nothin' out there, man!
I think we got 'em!
We have no idea
what's out there.
Hangin' in there, Doc?
I'll be all right.
He's going for the RPG!
Fuck!
I got him!
I got him!
There we go, Corporal!
They're still
going for that RPG!
Sons of bitches.
Where the fuck
are they coming from?
The terrain dips over there.
They've got cover.
Corporal, see if
there's any hope for this GPS.
Yes, Sergeant.
Goddamn.
Shit.
All they need is one
shot with that RPG...
and we die.
We gotta get to it first.
That's gotta be 100 yards.
Well, it's more risky
just letting it sit out there.
If they wanna get
to it so badly,
it's probably the
only one they have.
I could shoot the
grenade, Sergeant.
Detonate it from here.
That's an easy
shot; I can make it.
Yeah, I know you can.
But we may need to
use it ourselves.
I'll go.
Good.
I'll go with you.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, why
are y'all going out there?
Corporal, did you
not just hear me?
Well, I know, we wanna
get the RPG but, uh...
What happens if they get that?
I mean, you could
get contact out there.
What?
You could get contact out there!
What happens if
they get that hit off?
What happens?!
I mean, let's just stay in here.
Let's just think for a sec.
What kind of contact
do you think we're gonna get if
we stay in here?
RPG round.
If we blow up that RPG
and we sit out here...
stranded...
what happens?
What are they gonna do?
They're coming.
We hit them first.
You understand that?
Yes, Sarge.
Tuck your motherfuckin' nuts up.
Tuck 'em up!
All right?
Yes, Sergeant.
Conrad, you cover our asses.
Copy that.
If they start
shooting, you give 'em hell.
Y'all keep an eye
out that window.
We don't want
them surrounding us.
And keep these two in
line while I'm gone.
Clark, get on that short-range.
Ready, Sarge?
- Doc?
- Yeah.
Looks clear!
Jesus f...
I can't see
anything up here, Clark.
It's just sand
and dust out there!
How's it going out there, Sarge?
Clear so far.
How 'bout you?
Just see a lot of sand, Sarge,
but Conrad's got you on the .50.
50 yards, closing in.
Jesus fuck.
Contact!
I'm going for it!
Fuck, the sand's kicking up!
I lost visual on Gale!
I'm shooting 'em!
You see 'em?!
Fuck, I just hit something!
Sarge, are you good?!
Something just went
down, are you good?!
No, no, it's not him!
Light 'em up!
Light 'em up, Conrad!
Laying down some fuckin' fire!
- You see it?!
- Fuck!
I can't hear them!
What are they saying, Clark?!
To the left!
You see 'em?!
I can't now!
I lost 'em, I lost 'em!
You see 'em, Conrad?
I can't see shit up here!
It's just sand out there, Clark!
Conrad, get
fuckin' eyes on something!
I can't see shit
through my scope!
Ceasefire, Clark!
I can't get visual on them!
Keep lighting 'em up!
Clark, ceasefire, I
can't see what we're shooting
at!
Keep lighting 'em up!
You see 'em?!
They're shooting at the RPG!
Get back!
I'm gonna burn 'em!
I got somebody!
I got somebody!
I don't fucking know
who it was, though!
I think it was bad guys!
- You hit 'em?!
- Light 'em up, Conrad!
I think I might
have shot somebody!
Laying down suppressing fire!
I haven't got a visual!
Sergeant, copy?
Oh, fuck.
Where are they?!
- Fuck!
- Fuck me!
Fuck!
Sarge, how copy?!
Oh, fuck!
Sarge?!
Now!
Gale's hurt.
Sarge, Sarge, Sarge?!
Where'd Sarge go?!
What the fuck happened?!
- What the fuck happened?
- Sarge?!
- Sarge!
- They shot the damn grenade.
What?!
They shot the damn grenade!
Oh, shit!
Jackson, you all right?
Have you been hit?
- Shit, you all right?
- Fuck off.
Breathe.
Here we go.
- Fuck!
- Pressure!
- Fuck!
- Pressure.
- Hold that down.
- Fuck!
They shot the grenade.
You mean they got a sniper
out there that hit that fucking
grenade?!
That's a good fuckin' shot, man!
Breathe, Gale, breathe.
Oh, shit!
I got it, I got it, I got it.
I got it.
What are we gonna do, Sarge?
They've got a fucking sniper!
Sarge, what the fuck are
we doin' out here, man?
I mean, they've got a
good fuckin' sniper.
What the fuck
do you think we're doing?!
I'm saying we're
stuck here in a Humvee and...
This is the safest
place for us to be.
Safe, man?!
Look at fucking Doc!
- Look at Gale, man!
- Where did that happen?!
- Where did that happen, Clark?!
- Outside.
Outside!
So we're gonna sit
our asses in here!
Do you understand me?!
Corporal, do you understand me?!
Yes, Sergeant.
Sit your ass back and
we're gonna think this through.
Calm down.
Doc...
can you walk?
Maybe with a brace.
- Fucking shit.
- Doc...
Doc, your leg's broken?
Doc, we're gonna have
to find a way to get you out of
there.
We're gonna have to do
it nice and gentle because if I
start bleeding too fast, I'm
gonna pass out and nobody's
gonna want that, trust me.
Is there a way we could
do it without you losing
consciousness?
I mean, we gotta do
something 'cause...
Will let you me worry about it?!
Hey, Gale?
If things don't work
out with your husband...
and things don't work
out with my girlfriend,
let's promise each other that
we'll take a trip to Paris.
After deployment's done.
We can just go as friends.
Don't make me laugh, it hurts.
Could I have one?
You think your girlfriend
finally cheated on you?
Yo, if she's
fucking somebody right now,
I would be so mad.
That would honestly suck so bad.
You should all hydrate.
Doc.
Here.
Sarge.
If I knew my girlfriend was
cheating on me right now...
I swear to God, I would go
out there guns blazing...
and I'd kill every
fucking Hajji I saw...
and I'd personally
get us out of here.
Clark, I said hydrate.
That's an order.
You can't order
me to drink water, Sarge.
That'd be like
ordering me to take a piss.
I don't give
a shit when you piss.
No one's passing
out on my watch.
Drink the fucking water.
You know, all this
smoking's got me pretty thirsty.
That's more like it.
Doc, you should drink.
No atheists in foxholes.
Last days of Desert Storm,
the skies looked like this.
Black and red.
Sky full of fine
smoke, everything burning,
no reason.
It's one of the most beautiful,
horrible things I'd ever seen in
my life.
Why the hell
are we still out here?
Oil.
I got movement, Sarge.
How many?
I count five silhouettes.
What are they doing?
Uh...
looks like they're
unarmed and they're just...
walking around the RPG blast.
They're collecting their dead.
So what are we doing?
Are... are we just gonna...
are we just gonna sit here?
Are we engaging?
What do we do, Sarge?
No, we let
them collect their dead.
We're human.
Fuck, man.
You gotta retain that.
We need a new position.
Now we need a new position.
First, you say we
stay in the Humvee.
Now, we're in the Humvee,
they're not shooting at us.
Why do we need a
new position now?
Corporal...
I was wrong.
I was wrong about
keeping us here.
I was wrong about the
RPG, we all know that.
And I was wrong about not flying
the red flag as soon as we got
separated from the convoy.
That's on me.
But something I know I'm
right about is that we need to
decide...
if we can leave
this up to chance...
or choice.
Now, we can wait here 'til
after 0600 to see if the convoy
comes...
we can pray that they do...
but all the while, those
motherfuckers out there...
will be coming.
How long do you think it's gonna
take them to realize that they
have us?
If the convoy hasn't
come at 0600 tomorrow...
we can't wait any longer.
Couple hundred yards
in this direction...
is a ridge.
If we can make it there, we
can pick them off as they come.
They'll move here and they'll
use the Humvee for cover.
That means we need to either
bring or destroy anything they
can use against us.
Conrad, disable the ma deuce.
Now...
we know they've got at
least one good shooter;
that's been proven.
And we can't assume that's it.
It's gonna be risky.
It's gonna be an
old-fashion firefight.
Once that's done...
we can start thinking
about getting home.
Any questions?
So we're leaving the Humvee?
It's not doing us much good now.
0600 tomorrow.
Fuck, Sarge, if we're not
out of here by first light,
we're fucking dead.
Doc...
we're gonna have to get you out.
Doc, it's gonna hurt
like hell but we gotta yank that
thing out sooner or later.
It's my tibial artery.
The, um...
sharp edge of the box has
punctured my leg and...
is pressing up against it.
I can...
feel it pulsing.
So if we...
take it out abruptly or
at the wrong angle...
it will tear the artery and
I'll bleed out fairly quickly.
Can we do something to help?
I mean, how do we get you out?
I'm open to suggestions.
The, uh, corner of the
ammo box is jammed under the
crossbar.
Only way to get it
out now is to yank it,
but you say that's
not a good idea, Doc?
What we could do is, uh,
file that corner down.
Then, we'd be able to slide
it out a little more slowly.
It'll take a while but
I figure I can do it.
I think it's our only shot.
Well...
that sounds about right, then.
All right, I got...
I got five mags.
I got all my mags, but
the .50 cal's almost done.
I got two.
You trigger-happy motherfucker.
I like killing bad guys.
I got eight full mags.
Thanks, Doc.
God bless you, Doc.
0600 tomorrow.
Okay.
Let's get you out of there, Doc.
You see anything?
Not yet.
- Fuck, I got movement!
- What?!
Cover my rear!
Fuck!
Come on, go!
Keep going.
Come on, catch up!
Fuck, I can't see shit!
Catch up!
The shots are
coming out of nowhere!
I don't know where
they're coming from, Sarge!
We gotta move now!
You want me
to take over, Conrad?!
Fuck!
- Move!
- I can see 'em!
- Can you see 'em, Gale?!
- No, I can't see shit!
Save some of your ammo!
Where are they shooting from?!
I don't know!
I don't know, we
can't see anything!
We're going, we going!
Don't unload, don't unload!
Save your ammo!
- Five o'clock!
- Fucking shit!
Should we stop, should we stop?!
Come on!
Where do you see 'em, Gale?!
You got eyes on 'em, Conrad?!
I'm hit!
What'd you say?!
Shit!
My leg!
Conrad, get up!
Ahh, fuck, I'm hit!
Dear Gale...
we were issued new socks today
for the first time in 12 weeks.
Do not mistake my
saying so as complaining;
I would not dare
complain to you.
But I hope you might rest easier
knowing my absence spares you
the detestable smell of my feet.
Now that you're smiling, I
will carry on with this letter.
Old Wilson and me have been
assigned to a digging detail
with two other younger
men from a different unit.
One of them, a Maryland
boy, gets on my nerves,
though I think you
might find him amusing.
I'm sometimes ashamed of my
intolerance towards humorous
types.
And the other boy
I like very much.
He has a good heart.
We had to dig in and
make ready defenses,
and the task at hand seems
too great for just four men.
And my shoulders seem to creak
every time I swing the spade and
I worry I am becoming the old
soul you always said I was.
That is all for now, Gale.
Please send a flower.
They must be in bloom by now.
Morton.
The worst part
about war is knowing that no
matter how hard you try...
you cannot protect the
lives of those around you.
I've never forgotten that
night we lost Morton...
and thought that, had
I acted differently,
he might've seen his wife again.
It haunts me every day.
And I think of that German,
just a scared boy running
from his fate, same as us,
and I wonder if he made it home.
Sometimes, I imagine getting a
knock on the door or a letter...
or meeting him...
that I might silence these
restless thoughts and find some
measure of peace.
I saw
movement up there just now!
Doc!
Doc!
Come on, I got you!
I got you!
All right, Conrad?!
Conrad, look at me, look at me.
Clark, I
can't... I can't see anything.
Just... just go!
Stay with me, stay with me.
Conrad, Conrad!
Let's go!
We're gonna get you out of
here, we're gonna get you home!
Gale, Gale, Gale!
Fuck!
This isn't over!
We are gonna make it home!
Sergeant, is this it?!
Is this it?!
The privilege of
service seems to wither as each
battle passes,
and what lingers in the soul
is not the glory of combat...
but the horrors
of its aftermath.
I am anxious to know
what should come next...
if I should die or
live to see victory.
Still, I am not one
to succumb to fear,
and while it gives me
pause to see so many fallen,
I am resolute in knowing that
should I fall and lay beside
them, I have
served a noble cause.
No, no, no, no...
That was a pistol shot.
I've been thinking...
how come they ain't sent
somebody up with an update?
I mean, hell, we've been out
here almost three days now.
Two.
Well, feels like a week already.
When the shootin' starts...
you'll wish we
were back diggin'.
That is one stubborn
rock you got there, Wilson.
Lemme help you out.
No, I'll get it.
Take care of yourself.
Say Morton, how come we
ain't see you writing your lady?
Makin' me think
you're preoccupied,
like you know
something we don't.
I'd like to be able
to write my wife...
but I'm too busy doing your
job for you while you sit there
wastin' time.
All alone up in that
Massachusetts farmhouse of yours
must get pretty lonely.
I just...
I just hope she
don't forget about you.
You like
the sound of your own voice,
don't you?
Don't mind it.
My wife, Gale...
she's tough.
A lot tougher than you, Clark.
Best not speak of her again.
You know, if we really
wanted to win this war,
we'd just boycott
Southern tobacco.
Mine ain't Southern.
We grow that there up in
Maryland where it's damp.
They been growin'
up in New York too,
if you can believe it.
Turned an old tobacco plantation
down south into prisons for
captured Union men.
Make the slaves watch
to keep 'em scared.
Make it seem like
they're winnin'.
Ain't that somethin'?
How do you know all that?
I keep my ears open.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Action front.
Gimme a cartridge,
I need a cartridge.
Wilson...
Oh my God, Wilson.
Down, get down.
Fuck.
What y'all doin'
bringin' a corpse back here?
Hey, pistol, pistol,
pistol, pistol, pistol!
Give him some water.
He needs to be sewn
up or it'll just keep bleeding.
I'm all right, I'm
all right, I gotta get going.
- You all oughta carry on.
- No, no, no, no, no.
No, stay, stay.
You heard the man, Clark.
- What?
- Dig!
What are you doing?
Take it from him!
Hey, hey, it's not loaded.
Let him keep it.
Turn him over.
What's your name, soldier?
Jackson, sir.
Private.
3rd Mississippi infantry.
I'm glad you found us, Jackson.
My name is Morton.
This is Conrad.
We're from all over.
It looks like a clean cut.
It's deep, too.
He's bleeding on the inside.
Go get your kit.
You see much action, Private?
Some.
Hold that down, hard.
He needs a surgeon.
A... a surgeon,
that means that...
We gonna fix you
up, don't you worry.
What are you talking about?
We can't fix him up.
We don't have
anything that we need here.
You plan to let him bleed out?
He needs a surgeon,
we have to take him in.
To the field hospital?
You think they'll
treat a nigger?
Well... he's just...
I mean, even if they would,
there's no way you survive the
trip.
That's gotta be five miles out.
We'll never know
if we don't try.
They won't take him.
Don't you see?
Not after this massacre.
I ain't seen a single
stretcher-bearer since sun-up
yesterday.
If you wanna help him,
you gotta do it here.
- I saw them...
- What did he say?
What did you see?
Soldier, answer me.
What did you see?
If I tell you...
you'll leave me here for dead.
Don't you play no games, boy.
Jackson...
we are not going to
leave you out here to die,
but you've gotta
tell us what you saw.
Why should I trust you?
What, you gonna
let him talk to you like that?
Ungrateful son of a bitch.
Tell you what, I'll
beat it out of him.
Hey, hey!
If you've got somethin'
to say, boy, come here!
Get your hands off me!
- All right, all right!
- Up on the ridge...
I could see it
right over the fog.
It must have been at
least three regiments.
I reckon they'll be swarming
these hills no later than first
light tomorrow.
I swear on my life...
that is what I saw.
First light...
Nine hours.
This doesn't change anything.
We still have a job to do and
this soldier still needs to get
to a doctor.
Jesus Christ, what in
the hell has gotten into you,
Morton?
He told the truth and it
doesn't bode well for him.
So what?
We leave and come back to find
these hills crawling with the
rebel army?
No, if we're quick, we can
get back well before then.
And leave our
work here unfinished?
That don't sound
like you, Morton.
Look at him, he's
half dead already.
We'd be accused of abandoning
our post for no good reason.
You got something to say?
Uh, I think he
should have a chance.
Why should he get a
chance when all those men out
there didn't?
It's too late for them now.
But he's still alive.
It wouldn't be right to just
let him die like all the others.
"All the others?"
Those men out there
gave their lives.
That's why, don't you see?
It'd be a sin to let him die.
I mean, when all
is said and done,
it could be a whole lot better
for him after this is over.
Hey, you.
You free before you joined up?
What's that got to do with it?
A great deal, I'd say.
He's a
soldier, just like you and me,
and that's all he is, as
far as you're concerned.
That may be, but I...
Still, I can't help but wonder
what he was doing wandering
around all alone.
I ain't heard of any
colored units nearby.
You boys?
It just seems to me like
he coulda been deserting.
Well, he must have got
separated from the rest of his
unit.
That unit of his 3rd
Mississippi's been on our tail
since Vicksburg.
Vicksburg?
That's before Clark and
my units joined up...
All right, all right.
As far as I know,
if he's a slave,
we have no obligation or duty to
put his life before our orders...
You oughta hear
yourself, you make me sick!
I'm just trying to
think this through!
Can't you tell it's the
right thing to do, Clark?
I'm not sure it's
the right thing to do.
It would mean abandoning our
post and going against our
orders; I'm not
sure that's right.
You all can dig,
I'll take him myself.
Like hell you will!
He... he... he'd need a stretcher.
That's two men!
We don't know if there's more
graybacks waiting for us out
there in the fog.
One got him.
We don't know which
direction they're moving.
We could walk right into 'em.
If Jackson's right
about the rebel position,
they'd be coming up that
road, just past the ridge there,
and the hosital is
in that direction.
You think it's worth the risk?
Yeah.
I don't think we
should let this man die.
Probably already have.
We'll never know
if we don't take him in.
Conrad, you'll take him.
And Clark, since you've proved
yourself such a lousy digger,
you'll go too.
Why do you get to decide that?!
Would you prefer we voted on it?
Morton and I'll
stay here and finish,
and the two of you will
be back here by nightfall.
Back?!
You think you can make us
take him all the way there
and come all the way back?
Clark?
Fashion Jackson a stretcher.
Look...
we're stuck out in this
fog, waiting to kill,
probably be killed.
That's out of our hands.
But this man's life,
whether he lives or dies,
that's up to us.
There's honor in this.
- Honor?
- That's right.
We're not out here
to dig holes, Clark.
Well, what are we here to do?
Clark...
we're here to
answer a higher calling.
And I know that
lives inside you.
I don't think it does.
Well...
Honor's gotten just about
everybody I know killed!
And I'm loyal to
Union, just like you boys!
They tell me what
direction to shoot, I'll shoot!
I ain't got no
skin in this game!
I don't know what no colored
folk ever done for me and I
ain't too keen on dyin' for 'em!
So I'll the build
the boy a stretcher.
I'll carry him five
miles down to the hospital.
I just ask you stop treatin' me
like shit all the time just for
having some interest
into self-preservation!
And I'm takin' that pistol.
Get under his arm.
Easy, easy.
Small loads.
Light, small loads.
Three, two, one, move.
Jackson.
Don't you go dyin' on me, boy.
Yeah, right here, all right.
One, two, three.
Come on.
Wait, hold it, hold it.
Push!
Push!
Push.
We gotta move fast.
Keep your guard up.
Macht weiter, sei frei!
Goddamn!
Cleared 25 yards.
Ready for posts from
here to the Browning.
Goddamn flare blew our cover.
Good work, boys.
Jackson...
you still glad you came?
I always
wanted to be on the frontline.
If they'd only
issue you a rifle,
you'd be a force to
be reckoned with.
Yes, sir.
Shall we go the other way
and try to clear the new wire
breach?
First light's in two hours.
Now's our chance.
We're never gonna
get this close again.
We're gonna set
posts from here to Browning,
and then we clear the breach.
Let's go, boys.
Wait!
Wait, wait, wait.
Nice try.
Eat it.
Tie him up.
What's he got?
Smokes.
Are you all alone?
What are you doing out here?
Are there others?
Are you a scout?
Come on, answer me.
Sprecken zee English?!
Shh!
Answer me!
Sprecken zee English?!
Morton, shh!
Shh.
Get out your dictionary, Wilson.
Ask him if he's alone.
What are
you doin' out here, huh?
Deserting?
I can't read it, it's too
dark, the print's too small.
Allein?
Allein tu dust...
Damn it.
Morton, we have
to turn him in, don't we?
We haven't finished laying wire.
Sir, it must be protocol to
turn him in as a prisoner of
war.
We can keep him here
'til the job's done.
He might slit our throats
the first chance he gets.
Not if he's tied up.
Or just speak up and
give away our position.
Clark's right, we
can't take the chance.
Not on a night as clear as this.
Huns can see you think
on a night like this.
He surrendered to us.
Wilson, isn't the
protocol in this situation...
There is no protocol,
there's just a job to do.
Respectfully, sir, you do not
have the authority to execute a
prisoner of war.
He's not a prisoner
unless I take him prisoner.
Right now, he's just a...
he's just some Fritz who
jumped into our cover.
We can't just kill him.
My orders are to lay this
wire and get you boys back safe,
and I intend to do so.
So what are we
gonna do, Corporal?
You gotta make a decision.
Snap his neck.
We have two
options, as I see it.
We can take this man
prisoner and keep laying wire...
or we can execute
him on the spot.
I, for one, am against
killing an unarmed man,
particularly one
that surrendered to us.
It's not your decision to make.
Forgive me, sir, but we
can't just execute him.
That's just plain immoral.
Too up close and
personal for ya?
I'm not an educated man, but I
do believe it takes more courage
to spare a man's
life than to take it.
We're soldiers,
we're not here to save lives.
Morton, we're not out
here just layin' wire,
we are representing the
United States of America.
Who are we?
Cruel and unjust?
Or are we fair and valorous?
We'll put it to a vote.
Who's in favor
of sparing this man's life?
Hold on, I'm
not ready for a vote.
What is troubling you?
How do we know he's
not gonna sabotage us?
Because he knows his chances
of survival are better if he's
taken as a prisoner.
Well, I'd say our chances for
survival are a lot better if
he's dead.
I'm with Morton on this one.
Well, it's not much use.
It's split down the middle.
What about Jackson?
He ought to have a say.
Can't give Jackson a vote.
What do you think?
Are you goddamn kiddin' me?
He's not gonna know what's right
enough to cast aspersions.
Jackson, may I
ask you a question, sir?
What are you doin' here?
Sir?
What are you fighting for?
Same thing as you...
democracy.
I say...
we turn him in.
Why don't you give him a
vote while you're at it?
You men have all disrespected
my authority and my report will
reflect as much.
But if that's how it is, then
we're gonna have to take shifts
to guard him, which
means we'll wire slower.
I'll take the first shift.
Get movin'.
Wilson...
you stay for a minute.
What was that, huh?
I have given you no cause
to undermine my leadership.
You're right; we're
representing our country.
The last thing we need
out here is a pacifist.
I don't know about you, but I
am trying to make it home alive,
and this is putting
all of that at risk.
I just wanna kill this goddamn
bastard and be done with it.
Don't you have anything to say?
I think I've said enough.
We're wasting time.
Sir, Corporal told me
to watch the German.
They need your help out there.
Well, you look like
you was doing a fine job.
Thank you, sir,
but I... I think you would do it
better.
All right, then.
All right, well,
keep an eye on him.
So, you've been listenin'.
I read old Twain as a boy.
Bit of a... complicated feeling.
I see Wilson took
your handkerchief out.
I'm guessing you didn't
get to talking yet, though.
I made up that whole thing about
the Corporal telling me to watch
you, you know.
I wanted to talk to you...
alone.
- What is it?
- It's the German, sir.
- Did he attack you?
- He spoke, sir.
Did he?
What did he say?
Since when do you speak German?
In English, sir.
He says there's a raiding party
coming this way through the
breach, right on top of us.
He was a scout.
Bullshit.
Bullshit.
You're lying.
I heard him with my own ears.
Coward.
Now I know why they
didn't issue you a rifle.
He does not lie.
They vill come...
at the breach.
The gap in the wire.
What's goin' on?
Nothin'.
Let's go, come on.
The clock's tickin'.
Did he talk?
Hey, you've caused
enough trouble for one night.
Let's get back to work.
Jackson, what did he say?
Bullshit.
He's lying!
The gap in the wire.
They will come.
What?!
- He speaks English?!
- Who will come?!
A raiding party.
Don't listen to him.
He is just trying to get us to
leave a breach in the wire so
that his boys can
get through tomorrow.
I am not lying.
They vill come!
- Who's coming?
- German raiding party.
- Shit!
- He's lying!
Can't you see?
How do you know
they're coming this way?
They come where there
is a break in the wire.
Well, there's no break anymore.
We wired right over it.
Not the last 10 yards.
We saw you all go back.
There's still an opening.
So they will come through there.
Sir, trust him or not,
we're sitting ducks out here.
We should listen
to what he says, Morton.
It's our safest bet.
Clark, go finish
wiring the posts.
Corporal...
all due respect, there ain't no
goddamn way in hell I'm going
back out there.
You trust the Hun?
You said it yourself,
they're all backstabbers.
That don't mean I'd
bet my life on it, no way.
Conrad...
let's finish it.
You and me.
I don't think it's
a good idea, Mort.
They'd be right on top of us.
What's happening?
What is happening?
You'd take his word over mine?
If he's lying...
we would know
about it soon enough.
And where would that put him?
We're never gonna make it home.
We can't let him live.
Can't you see?
Can't you see?
God knows how many
of us he's killed.
We can't take the liberty of
sparing his life just to give
ourselves a pat on the back.
It's not about that, sir.
We gotta think
about ourselves here.
He's not gonna hurt you, Morton.
I see.
I see I'm gonna
have to do it myself.
Stop!
Please!
Don't forget
who you are fighting here.
If you fire that weapon,
we are all dead, sir!
Put the gun down!
Morton...
I need you to
lower your voice...
and put the gun down.
Corporal, you fire
that weapon, we're all dead.
Get that gun out
of my face, sir!
If you fire that gun,
we're all dead, sir.
We are all dead.
You're all gonna thank me
when you come to your senses.
You just pray I don't report you
for cowardice in the face of the
enemy.
Put the gun down.
You know we will die, sir.
Wilson...
I am trying to protect you.
I'm trying... I'm
trying to protect you.
S... stay back.
Stay back and stop it.
This is for your protection.
Dramatic music
Let him down!
Get him off that wire!
Hey, hey, we... we
got you, Morton.
We got you.
Corporal, stay
with me, Corporal.
Jackson, get him out!
Stay with me,
Corporal, stay with me.
- Get him down.
- Get it out.
I'm gonna get you out.
I'm gonna get you out, Corporal.
I got you, I got you.
Listen
I'm from New
York, I'm so cocky
I ran a play, scored
like this some hockey
I was left on the floor,
ain't nobody jock me
Now I'm 'bout to be
up, everybody watching
I'm from New
York, I'm so cocky
I ran a play, scored
like this some hockey
I was left on the floor,
ain't nobody jock me
Now I'm 'bout to be
up, everybody watching
Smoke this dope to the
brain, it'll inflame ya shit
I can't fuck with a
lame, gotta be dangerous...
hip-hop continues
playing from CD player
Knife.
This is Six Actual.
How copy?
Knife!
This is Six Actual.
How copy?
Knife!
This is Six Actual.
How copy?
Knife!
This is Six Actual.
How copy?
That's five minutes, no comms.
I just fuckin' fixed this thing.
Any news from the convoy yet?
No, sir, nothing yet.
Let's just
hope we catch up soon.
Knife, this is Six Actual.
How copy?
Fuck.
Would you turn that shit down?!
No!
No, leave it!
Leave it.
- Leave it?
- It keeps my blood pumpin'.
This is the last time
this motherfucker brings that
shit on mission.
Last time!
I don't even
listen to this shit.
Conrad, turn that shit down.
All right.
Are you calling your girlfriend?
No, bro, I gotta tell you
about a letter I just got, too.
She cheatin' on you?
So what do you
listen to then, Sarge?
Mozart?
Actually, yeah.
Mozart, Clifford Brown, Madonna.
Madonna.
Little bit of everything...
except that shit.
Oh!
How we doin', Corpsman?
About 100 miles East.
We'll be at the
village in under two hours.
It was under two
hours an hour ago.
Holy shit, a road.
It's shit.
They don't get a
lot of traffic around here.
You know something, Sarge?
Back in the day, they had big
old empires built on agriculture
out here.
Iraq, Iran, Syria,
it was all green.
Then, they over-farmed
it and it turned to dust.
Clark, did you pay
attention in school?
Yes, ma'am.
They had them some
good farming out here.
You know what?
I think we ought to give
them some of Conrad's CDs.
Might be right up their alley.
Now, Conrad, don't
worry, they already have 'em.
Don't have food or water but...
No wonder they're
pissed off, man,
'cause they used to have the
biggest empires in the world...
'til the fucking gringos showed
up and started taking names,
baby.
Fucking domination, bro!
Haha!
I hope these fuckin' villagers
are sick and starving 'cause I
need some fuckin'
hero points, bro!
Let's get some, baby!
Let's put some fuckin'
rounds down range.
Gimme that .50 cal, bro!
Let's fucking get
some contact, bro!
Fuck these
humanitarian bullshit missions.
I came here to kill bad guys, I
didn't come here to fucking give
out crayons and maps and shit.
Yo, can we get a psych
eval for my boy Clark, please?
Gale, when's Clark going home?
I don't know, you're stuck
with him for a little while.
You're gonna miss me.
I'm gonna miss you, man.
I'm out on the third.
I'm the best
shooter you got, Sarge.
I remember when I
used to count the days.
Some of us have
something to go back to.
You do you, Sarge.
Yo, you need to see this
picture of Gale's husband.
Gale, can I please show them
the picture of your husband?
He's a very
beautiful-looking man.
I particularly prefer women,
but when I saw this picture,
I started to
question those feelings,
and I would love to share
this image with the rest of the
gentlemen in this vehicle
if you do not mind, Gale.
Please, let me show.
Conrad, take a look at
the schnauzer on that...
He's go the
biggest nose I've ever seen!
That's a big nose!
That's a beautiful monument...
Take a look.
Wait, I wanna show Wilson.
- Wilson...
- Be nice.
Look at that nose.
Well, just remember:
Cyrano was a great poet.
Oh, my goodness.
Gale, let me tell
you something...
- Thank you.
- When you come to your senses,
I promise you I will make you
the best husband you could ever
- ask for.
- Oh, wow...
I'll love you forever,
through thick and thin,
and I'll better than, uh...
What's his name again?
What's your
husband's name again?
Ooh!
Sarge...
take a look at this.
I think I got something
you're gonna like, Sarge.
Knife, this is Six Actual.
How copy?
That's seven minutes, no comms.
This one?
Yeah, play that one.
- This one?
- Yeah, play that.
Okay.
I can fix it, man,
just hang on a second.
What the fuck
do you think you're doing?
- Gimme one second, Sarge.
- I'm not lighting it.
This one's for you.
Here, right here.
- Hand it over.
- Oh, shit.
What'd I tell you, hm?
Not in my motherfuckin' Humvee.
I didn't light it!
Ooh!
Knife, this is Six Actual.
How copy?
What are you doing?
Get back up there.
Get your ass back up there!
Dude!
Just leave it!
Fuck!
Fuck!
Fuck!
- Fuck!
- Jesus fucking Christ.
Fuck, man, that was a bad one!
Anybody hurt?!
Anybody hurt?
Are we engaging?
- What, what, what?!
- Stay in the Humvee!
Stay in the Humvee.
Doc, your leg.
Those... those are
my rounds, Doc.
Those are my .50 cal rounds.
Goddamn fuckers, look
what they did to my truck.
Fuck, man.
- What the fuck cut me?
- Shit.
Fuck this shit, man.
Shit.
Shit.
Come on.
- What do you see, Sarge?
- I can't tell.
Echo III,
this is Charlie Lima Alfa Romeo
Kilo, CO Juliett Alfa
Charlie Kilo Sierra Oscar...
Doc, your leg is...
Sarge?
Um...
You all right?
Yeah, Sarge.
Doc, how's that hand holding up?
I'm not sure if
it's my hand or if it's my
shoulder.
We are separated
from our convoy,
we do not know
our exact location.
Requesting evac,
requesting evac.
- How copy?
- His leg's fucked up.
Are you good, Doc?
Gale, how far out are we?
Last I checked, we were
50 miles from the gate.
There ain't
nothing for us out there.
We have to lay flat.
- Peel it back.
- We'd just melt.
Fuck.
All right, take it easy.
Okay, I got ya.
Here.
Echo
III, this is Charlie Lima Alfa
- Romeo Kilo...
- Sarge, uh...
Doc's leg, it's, uh...
Here, Sarge, let me...
Clark, any... any word?
No, Sergeant, I'm
not gettin' nothin'.
Keep at it!
I'm on the sat comm,
I'm not gettin' shit.
I'm gonna try my cell.
All right...
Come on, fuckin' ring!
Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.
I've got no
fuckin' signal, Sarge.
I'm trying to...
Got it?
Uh, yeah, okay.
Sarge, they're gonna
come back for us, right?
They're gonna send
somebody, right?!
Right now, we
can't count on that.
Here, get up there and see
if you got eyes on anything.
Doc, your leg is stuck.
It's all right, it's all
right, it is... it's stuck.
See if you can get it out.
I can't get it out, it's...
There's nothing
up here, Sarge, it's just...
It's... it's flat for
miles; there's no cover.
Oh, fuck!
Contact left!
Contact left!
Contact left, fuck!
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
Fuck, fuck!
You got eyes on 'em, Gale?!
I don't know, I don't know!
Fuck!
Fuck, RPG!
- He's got an RPG!
- Jam, Sarge!
Sarge, jam!
- Get back up there!
- Sarge, take a jam!
- We'll cover you!
- I got you covered, bro!
Go!
Hit?!
Sarge?!
Did it go through?!
There's no blood.
All I could see were
muzzle flashes out there, Sarge.
I could only make
out three shooters,
but from the sound, it could
be a whole fuckin' village out
there.
You good?
Keep eyes on that RPG.
There's a live round
ready to go in there.
Keep eyes on it.
There's nothin' out there, man!
I think we got 'em!
We have no idea
what's out there.
Hangin' in there, Doc?
I'll be all right.
He's going for the RPG!
Fuck!
I got him!
I got him!
There we go, Corporal!
They're still
going for that RPG!
Sons of bitches.
Where the fuck
are they coming from?
The terrain dips over there.
They've got cover.
Corporal, see if
there's any hope for this GPS.
Yes, Sergeant.
Goddamn.
Shit.
All they need is one
shot with that RPG...
and we die.
We gotta get to it first.
That's gotta be 100 yards.
Well, it's more risky
just letting it sit out there.
If they wanna get
to it so badly,
it's probably the
only one they have.
I could shoot the
grenade, Sergeant.
Detonate it from here.
That's an easy
shot; I can make it.
Yeah, I know you can.
But we may need to
use it ourselves.
I'll go.
Good.
I'll go with you.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, why
are y'all going out there?
Corporal, did you
not just hear me?
Well, I know, we wanna
get the RPG but, uh...
What happens if they get that?
I mean, you could
get contact out there.
What?
You could get contact out there!
What happens if
they get that hit off?
What happens?!
I mean, let's just stay in here.
Let's just think for a sec.
What kind of contact
do you think we're gonna get if
we stay in here?
RPG round.
If we blow up that RPG
and we sit out here...
stranded...
what happens?
What are they gonna do?
They're coming.
We hit them first.
You understand that?
Yes, Sarge.
Tuck your motherfuckin' nuts up.
Tuck 'em up!
All right?
Yes, Sergeant.
Conrad, you cover our asses.
Copy that.
If they start
shooting, you give 'em hell.
Y'all keep an eye
out that window.
We don't want
them surrounding us.
And keep these two in
line while I'm gone.
Clark, get on that short-range.
Ready, Sarge?
- Doc?
- Yeah.
Looks clear!
Jesus f...
I can't see
anything up here, Clark.
It's just sand
and dust out there!
How's it going out there, Sarge?
Clear so far.
How 'bout you?
Just see a lot of sand, Sarge,
but Conrad's got you on the .50.
50 yards, closing in.
Jesus fuck.
Contact!
I'm going for it!
Fuck, the sand's kicking up!
I lost visual on Gale!
I'm shooting 'em!
You see 'em?!
Fuck, I just hit something!
Sarge, are you good?!
Something just went
down, are you good?!
No, no, it's not him!
Light 'em up!
Light 'em up, Conrad!
Laying down some fuckin' fire!
- You see it?!
- Fuck!
I can't hear them!
What are they saying, Clark?!
To the left!
You see 'em?!
I can't now!
I lost 'em, I lost 'em!
You see 'em, Conrad?
I can't see shit up here!
It's just sand out there, Clark!
Conrad, get
fuckin' eyes on something!
I can't see shit
through my scope!
Ceasefire, Clark!
I can't get visual on them!
Keep lighting 'em up!
Clark, ceasefire, I
can't see what we're shooting
at!
Keep lighting 'em up!
You see 'em?!
They're shooting at the RPG!
Get back!
I'm gonna burn 'em!
I got somebody!
I got somebody!
I don't fucking know
who it was, though!
I think it was bad guys!
- You hit 'em?!
- Light 'em up, Conrad!
I think I might
have shot somebody!
Laying down suppressing fire!
I haven't got a visual!
Sergeant, copy?
Oh, fuck.
Where are they?!
- Fuck!
- Fuck me!
Fuck!
Sarge, how copy?!
Oh, fuck!
Sarge?!
Now!
Gale's hurt.
Sarge, Sarge, Sarge?!
Where'd Sarge go?!
What the fuck happened?!
- What the fuck happened?
- Sarge?!
- Sarge!
- They shot the damn grenade.
What?!
They shot the damn grenade!
Oh, shit!
Jackson, you all right?
Have you been hit?
- Shit, you all right?
- Fuck off.
Breathe.
Here we go.
- Fuck!
- Pressure!
- Fuck!
- Pressure.
- Hold that down.
- Fuck!
They shot the grenade.
You mean they got a sniper
out there that hit that fucking
grenade?!
That's a good fuckin' shot, man!
Breathe, Gale, breathe.
Oh, shit!
I got it, I got it, I got it.
I got it.
What are we gonna do, Sarge?
They've got a fucking sniper!
Sarge, what the fuck are
we doin' out here, man?
I mean, they've got a
good fuckin' sniper.
What the fuck
do you think we're doing?!
I'm saying we're
stuck here in a Humvee and...
This is the safest
place for us to be.
Safe, man?!
Look at fucking Doc!
- Look at Gale, man!
- Where did that happen?!
- Where did that happen, Clark?!
- Outside.
Outside!
So we're gonna sit
our asses in here!
Do you understand me?!
Corporal, do you understand me?!
Yes, Sergeant.
Sit your ass back and
we're gonna think this through.
Calm down.
Doc...
can you walk?
Maybe with a brace.
- Fucking shit.
- Doc...
Doc, your leg's broken?
Doc, we're gonna have
to find a way to get you out of
there.
We're gonna have to do
it nice and gentle because if I
start bleeding too fast, I'm
gonna pass out and nobody's
gonna want that, trust me.
Is there a way we could
do it without you losing
consciousness?
I mean, we gotta do
something 'cause...
Will let you me worry about it?!
Hey, Gale?
If things don't work
out with your husband...
and things don't work
out with my girlfriend,
let's promise each other that
we'll take a trip to Paris.
After deployment's done.
We can just go as friends.
Don't make me laugh, it hurts.
Could I have one?
You think your girlfriend
finally cheated on you?
Yo, if she's
fucking somebody right now,
I would be so mad.
That would honestly suck so bad.
You should all hydrate.
Doc.
Here.
Sarge.
If I knew my girlfriend was
cheating on me right now...
I swear to God, I would go
out there guns blazing...
and I'd kill every
fucking Hajji I saw...
and I'd personally
get us out of here.
Clark, I said hydrate.
That's an order.
You can't order
me to drink water, Sarge.
That'd be like
ordering me to take a piss.
I don't give
a shit when you piss.
No one's passing
out on my watch.
Drink the fucking water.
You know, all this
smoking's got me pretty thirsty.
That's more like it.
Doc, you should drink.
No atheists in foxholes.
Last days of Desert Storm,
the skies looked like this.
Black and red.
Sky full of fine
smoke, everything burning,
no reason.
It's one of the most beautiful,
horrible things I'd ever seen in
my life.
Why the hell
are we still out here?
Oil.
I got movement, Sarge.
How many?
I count five silhouettes.
What are they doing?
Uh...
looks like they're
unarmed and they're just...
walking around the RPG blast.
They're collecting their dead.
So what are we doing?
Are... are we just gonna...
are we just gonna sit here?
Are we engaging?
What do we do, Sarge?
No, we let
them collect their dead.
We're human.
Fuck, man.
You gotta retain that.
We need a new position.
Now we need a new position.
First, you say we
stay in the Humvee.
Now, we're in the Humvee,
they're not shooting at us.
Why do we need a
new position now?
Corporal...
I was wrong.
I was wrong about
keeping us here.
I was wrong about the
RPG, we all know that.
And I was wrong about not flying
the red flag as soon as we got
separated from the convoy.
That's on me.
But something I know I'm
right about is that we need to
decide...
if we can leave
this up to chance...
or choice.
Now, we can wait here 'til
after 0600 to see if the convoy
comes...
we can pray that they do...
but all the while, those
motherfuckers out there...
will be coming.
How long do you think it's gonna
take them to realize that they
have us?
If the convoy hasn't
come at 0600 tomorrow...
we can't wait any longer.
Couple hundred yards
in this direction...
is a ridge.
If we can make it there, we
can pick them off as they come.
They'll move here and they'll
use the Humvee for cover.
That means we need to either
bring or destroy anything they
can use against us.
Conrad, disable the ma deuce.
Now...
we know they've got at
least one good shooter;
that's been proven.
And we can't assume that's it.
It's gonna be risky.
It's gonna be an
old-fashion firefight.
Once that's done...
we can start thinking
about getting home.
Any questions?
So we're leaving the Humvee?
It's not doing us much good now.
0600 tomorrow.
Fuck, Sarge, if we're not
out of here by first light,
we're fucking dead.
Doc...
we're gonna have to get you out.
Doc, it's gonna hurt
like hell but we gotta yank that
thing out sooner or later.
It's my tibial artery.
The, um...
sharp edge of the box has
punctured my leg and...
is pressing up against it.
I can...
feel it pulsing.
So if we...
take it out abruptly or
at the wrong angle...
it will tear the artery and
I'll bleed out fairly quickly.
Can we do something to help?
I mean, how do we get you out?
I'm open to suggestions.
The, uh, corner of the
ammo box is jammed under the
crossbar.
Only way to get it
out now is to yank it,
but you say that's
not a good idea, Doc?
What we could do is, uh,
file that corner down.
Then, we'd be able to slide
it out a little more slowly.
It'll take a while but
I figure I can do it.
I think it's our only shot.
Well...
that sounds about right, then.
All right, I got...
I got five mags.
I got all my mags, but
the .50 cal's almost done.
I got two.
You trigger-happy motherfucker.
I like killing bad guys.
I got eight full mags.
Thanks, Doc.
God bless you, Doc.
0600 tomorrow.
Okay.
Let's get you out of there, Doc.
You see anything?
Not yet.
- Fuck, I got movement!
- What?!
Cover my rear!
Fuck!
Come on, go!
Keep going.
Come on, catch up!
Fuck, I can't see shit!
Catch up!
The shots are
coming out of nowhere!
I don't know where
they're coming from, Sarge!
We gotta move now!
You want me
to take over, Conrad?!
Fuck!
- Move!
- I can see 'em!
- Can you see 'em, Gale?!
- No, I can't see shit!
Save some of your ammo!
Where are they shooting from?!
I don't know!
I don't know, we
can't see anything!
We're going, we going!
Don't unload, don't unload!
Save your ammo!
- Five o'clock!
- Fucking shit!
Should we stop, should we stop?!
Come on!
Where do you see 'em, Gale?!
You got eyes on 'em, Conrad?!
I'm hit!
What'd you say?!
Shit!
My leg!
Conrad, get up!
Ahh, fuck, I'm hit!
Dear Gale...
we were issued new socks today
for the first time in 12 weeks.
Do not mistake my
saying so as complaining;
I would not dare
complain to you.
But I hope you might rest easier
knowing my absence spares you
the detestable smell of my feet.
Now that you're smiling, I
will carry on with this letter.
Old Wilson and me have been
assigned to a digging detail
with two other younger
men from a different unit.
One of them, a Maryland
boy, gets on my nerves,
though I think you
might find him amusing.
I'm sometimes ashamed of my
intolerance towards humorous
types.
And the other boy
I like very much.
He has a good heart.
We had to dig in and
make ready defenses,
and the task at hand seems
too great for just four men.
And my shoulders seem to creak
every time I swing the spade and
I worry I am becoming the old
soul you always said I was.
That is all for now, Gale.
Please send a flower.
They must be in bloom by now.
Morton.
The worst part
about war is knowing that no
matter how hard you try...
you cannot protect the
lives of those around you.
I've never forgotten that
night we lost Morton...
and thought that, had
I acted differently,
he might've seen his wife again.
It haunts me every day.
And I think of that German,
just a scared boy running
from his fate, same as us,
and I wonder if he made it home.
Sometimes, I imagine getting a
knock on the door or a letter...
or meeting him...
that I might silence these
restless thoughts and find some
measure of peace.
I saw
movement up there just now!
Doc!
Doc!
Come on, I got you!
I got you!
All right, Conrad?!
Conrad, look at me, look at me.
Clark, I
can't... I can't see anything.
Just... just go!
Stay with me, stay with me.
Conrad, Conrad!
Let's go!
We're gonna get you out of
here, we're gonna get you home!
Gale, Gale, Gale!
Fuck!
This isn't over!
We are gonna make it home!
Sergeant, is this it?!
Is this it?!