We, The Marines takes viewers on an action-packed adventure into the unparalleled experience of becoming and serving as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps. Narrated by former Marine and actor, Gene Hackman, the film honors something more than dedication and service; the film offers an unforgettable glimpse into the first-hand experiences of America’s “first responders” and what it takes to become the men and women who honor and defend our country.
4k movies reviews
First, read the headline: this is a recruiting tool, for sure. This piece really seems like something the recruiters would play for the local High School auditorium full of kids and leave 20 minutes for questions. Or something they would show parents to give them an idea what their son or daughter might be going through in their next four years of their Marine Corps career.
As a documentary piece, this is a very fine program. The shots are fantastic, with a mix of traditional documentary style shots and drone footage. Kudos to the cinematographers and editors because they seem to have carried the majority of the weight in this program. It also makes me wonder if they used the Marine Corps combat camera units in their video team. I wouldn’t be surprised if they did.
Gene Hackman is enthusiastic and seems very connected to the script. He delivers a very strong narration, and is heard laughing at times, as if he’s remembering his own journey through Marine Corps recruit training.
A few things bugged me:
Very, VERY obvious ADR (dialogue replacement), as noted in another review.
Subtitle issues. A “Nine Line” is a call for fire / evacuation – I don’t know what an “eye line” is. Also, anyone that has ever been in the Corps knows it is sacrilegious to call even a recruit a “soldier” (one of the obvious ADR mistakes – they must have taken the clip from an Army boot camp program).
There are also random voice overs from… people. Are they Marines? Are they defense contractors? Why wouldn’t you identify them as to build context? These clips are used very sporadically throughout the film, and seemed to be filling in gaps where Hackman’s narration left off.
Overall, this is a nice recruiting tool with a visual style that will really attract a younger audience. Old time Marines like myself can watch for some nostalgia. Anyone who is into historical documentaries will be disappointed.
Info Blu-ray
Video
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
HDR: HDR10+
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audio
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles
English
