Which Way Is The Front Line From Here? DVD Review

Which Way Is The Front Line From Here? DVD Review

Rating: M
Released by Madman Home Ent

Which Way Is The Front Line From Here? is an HBO doco looking at the tragically short life ofTim Hetherington, who many will know as being one half of the Oscar nominated doco,Restrepo. 

It sets out its stall early on with a shot of Tim saying that the "role of witnessing comes with strong responsibility" - and it's clear that Sebastian Junger's piece is a honest, heartfelt, but never mawkish tribute to his former colleague. Tim was a tall, grinning, white guy who clearly stood head and shoulders above his subjects, but who was never above them in respect and grace. 

This fascinating piece intersperses past footage of Tim, with some of his shots and contributions from those who knew him. As an insight into what goes through an embedded journo's psyche, it's fascinating; as a look at what makes a human, it's unmissable. Powerful footage from war zones sweeps in with comments from all sides - and there's a strong poignancy to the final words from Sebastian Junger and the last sequences which show Tim's untimely demise. 

As Sebastian reveals, a Vietnam vet told him: "The core truth about war is you’re guaranteed to lose your brothers – and now you know everything you need to know about war" after hearing the news of Tim's death. 

Those moments feel almost intrusive, tragic and utterly soul destroying as they're set to a shot of the sun in a clear blue sky - this is an incredibly moving piece which encapsulates the reason some rush into horrors while others run away.

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