A Major Disappointment

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

There is definitely an excellent idea hidden in the background of the film. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find it.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

How in the name of any god, and why would you as a Brit going to a wedding suddenly: go to a war zone to see if you could help and how big the 'naans' are?? That's what I really did not get. Then the story line was very weak in my point of view, every time you thought OK, not we're somewhere, the plot or story just stopped and went somewhere else. For example: they are once questioned why they were in Afhganistan? ... you expect them to answer that they were there for a wedding, but boom the camera turns and takes another view without letting them answer on that question. In the end they answered sometimes; but then it were answers like: 'Bullshit' (litteraly) on the same sort of questioning. Why did they not persevere in that they were unguilty? That made me almost angry... it is a bad thing what happens in Guantanamo, but at the same time it seemed to me as: what happens if you let a American fool interrogate a British fool? Anwering foolish, then you get foolish treatment as well I guess!

it shows how you can get caught in a situation of terror without expecting it, i enjoyed the film and recommend it to any one that wonders what Guantanamo prison is, the struggle of normal people that get into an-wanted situation and horrific experience of trying to explain your innocence and knowing that no one is interested in that truth. All cast give a good realistic performance, the scenes of prisoners interrogation could be better directed but is not bad enough to spoil the interest and flow of the film. One is amazed how easy it is to go from normal and quite safe life one day and the next you are in hell. the Americans are seen here as the bad guys but the tali bans also have nothing to be proud about their handling of prisoners.

First of all I want to comment movie: Movie turned out to be documentary... but even documentaries on History Channel are better than this one. It looks like "five o'clock new coverage, from middle east". I don't like the concept. Really short action scenes cut out with interviews of real people is not something that I enjoy. Actors are not that bad, but there is no much acting. Scenes are no longer than a minute. There is too much numbers and there are no characters. There are characters but they are just numbers. There guys, five bombings, two hundred people died, stayed in prison for 3 years. Everythin seems just like war report.Second, I would tell a bit about whats going on (no spoilers, don't worry): This is happy ending movie, documentary, report, whatever. In war... there is no happy endings. And thats the point that documentary like this must have. They survive, and guy get married and they live in Englad for a long time. Whats with people that are not England citizens? Who was born in Afghanistan, raised and died there!? No one makes a movie about them!? Im from Serbia, and I was bombed from USA/UK forces couple of times... So I take this documentary a little bit personal... This movie is made for people from USA/UK to see whats really going on... and to show some other side of their government. But on end, its happy end. Truth wins. And everyone will go "awwwww...." like they are watched Jenny Jones show. Thats why this documentary has no point! Three guys have survived but millions have died and still do!(sorry on my bad English)

I have to admit that I'm not a fan of docu-dramas. I would rather have substance in the background and narration over the top than the film being constantly broken up by those involved retelling what we've just seen or are about to see.Nevertheless, it was an important story worth telling. The real question is whether it was told properly. The director, Michael Winterbottom, has been criticised for not questioning the accounts of the Tipton Three. James Christopher, in his review in the Sunday Times, stated that Winterbottom had "an insane lack of cool perspective," for not questioning the accounts of the Tipton Three."Why, oh why, jump on a minibus to Afghanistan when jets are carpet-bombing the country? If your friends are mortally sick, why catch the next truck to the front line? The sheer stupidity of these Brits mocks the sincerity of the film." After watching the film I felt that the three men had no real reason to be in Afghanistan at the time. They stated that they had heard mixed reports of the Taliban and wanted to find out if they really were bad people. How flimsy an excuse is that for a group that were on their way to an arranged marriage of one of them in Pakistan? A slightly erroneous detour to take don't you think? From a cynical perspective you could argue that it looked like they went over to meet the Taliban and possibly see about aiding their cause at the same time the war kicked off and they were in the wrong place at the wrong time about to get involved in a very wrong thing.So whilst they were innocent of any crimes it is their possible intentions that were guilty and they paid a high price for stupidity.