Generation Kill

The first 40 days of the war in Iraq as seen through the eyes of an elite group of U.S. Marines who spearheaded the invasion along with an embedded Rolling Stone reporter. A vivid account of the soldiers and of the forces that guided them in an often-improvised initiative.

Generation Kill (2008) is an American HBO war miniseries created by David Simon, adapted from Evan Wright's nonfiction book. Across seven episodes it follows an elite Marine Reconnaissance unit during the first forty days of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Alexander Skarsgård plays Marine officer Brad Colbert, a restless strategist whose unit races across the desert with little information and shifting orders. James Ransone plays the brash Josh Ray Person, while Stark Sands plays Lieutenant Nathaniel Fick, and Lee Tergesen plays Rolling Stone reporter Evan Wright, whose embedded perspective frames the story. The engine of the series is the daily grind of the mission: convoy movement, sporadic firefights, long waits in the heat, and improvised decisions made by young men who often understand the bigger picture less than the viewer does. Each episode moves through a stretch of the advance, building a portrait of camaraderie, boredom and frustration. The tone is gritty, observational and darkly funny, with a realistic docudrama texture. Fans of Band of Brothers and The Hurt Locker will find resonance in its grounded, unglamorous depiction of modern combat, set in the Iraqi desert in the early spring of 2003.

Critics and audiences broadly acclaim the series for its gritty, documentary-like portrayal of Marines during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and its unvarnished view of soldiers and improvised command.

• Band of Brothersshared gritty war realism and embedded journalistic perspective on combat
• The Hurt Lockershared docudrama approach to modern war with grounded, journalistic tone
• The Wireshared David Simon style of institutional realism and ensemble procedural texture

Created by

David Simon

Release Date

2008-07-13

Episode runtime

68 min

Rating

8.4 / 10 (551)

What is Generation Kill about?

A seven-episode HBO miniseries following an elite Marine reconnaissance unit through the first forty days of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, seen through an embedded Rolling Stone reporter.

What is Generation Kill like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Generation Kill as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as dense.

Is Generation Kill violent?

Yes. Ember rates the violence in Generation Kill as brutal.

What did critics think of Generation Kill?

Critics and audiences broadly acclaim the series for its gritty, documentary-like portrayal of Marines during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and its unvarnished view of soldiers and improvised command.

Which shows are like Generation Kill?

Shows with a similar feel include Band of Brothers, The Hurt Locker, and The Wire.

How long is Generation Kill?

Generation Kill: 1 season, 7 episodes.

Is Generation Kill still running?

No, Generation Kill has ended.

Where can I watch Generation Kill?

In United States, Generation Kill streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.