A tough time for Easy Company (Band Of Brothers)

Member Name: Martin52

Product:	Band Of Brothers
Date:	13/06/09 (8 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Realistic, high quality production

Disadvantages: A bit of a muddle with the characters

This ten-part TV series, supposedly the most expensive one ever made, tells the gripping story of a company of men in the US Parachute Regiment during the Second World War. Although called 'Easy Company', these men have it anything but easy as they find themselves taking part in some of the most famous and brutal episodes of the European War.

The series starts with the men in training back in the United States, before we follow them through D-Day, Operation Market Garden, the Battle of the Bulge, the invasion of Germany, the liberation of a concentration camp and the final victory in Europe.

The series was produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, reuniting them again after their partnership in 'Saving Private Ryan', and the series has the same emphasis on extremely realistic and graphic battle scenes. War is certainly not glorified here and, as the series progresses, nearly every character from the first episode is either killed or wounded.

I enjoyed watching this series, although it was not always easy watching, and you get a real feel for the confusion and palpable fear that is present when the action starts. As the series progresses, you see the survivors visibly age and become less idealised and enthusiastic. The events surrounding the Battle of the Bulge provide a real turning point and any excitement that they may have had for 'going to war' is replaced by a desperation to 'get the job done' and just go home.

The characters are very genuine and, of course, based upon the real life persons involved at the time. However, apart from a few noticeable exceptions, I did find myself getting a bit confused about who was who. Different characters would get wounded, miss an episode and then return to a later battle. I found myself latching onto one character to try and keep track of what was going on, only for them then to be killed. Alternatively, someone would be blown up and it would take me a bit of time to work out who had actually been killed.

However, that apart, I'm definitely glad that I watched this series and it was an extremely high quality production. This is television nearly at its best.

Summary: US Paratroopers in action during the Second World War