Q&A: A veteran talks about war cinema

Because the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are still ongoing, returning servicemen and women are confronted with fictional depictions while at the same time dealing with their own still-fresh personal experiences. What do they think about war portrayals in the media?

Major Christopher Hormel has been in the military for 11 years. He has served in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. He has lived in Bloomington for a year and seven months and works at the IU Army ROTC.

Weekend: Have you seen any recent war movies?
Maj. Christopher Hormel: “I don’t see movies that deal with any kind of recent conflicts,” Hormel said. “I’ll see movies that deal with Vietnam.”

W: Why do you not choose to watch recent movies?
Maj. Hormel: “I’ve been there, done that. I don’t care to watch a movie about it.”

W: What type of war-related media do you like?
Maj. Hormel: “I love watching ‘Band of Brothers.’”

W:  What draws you to that series in particular?
Maj. Hormel: “It was well-made. I like that it focused on the character development and is based off the book ‘Band of Brothers.’ I like that it focused on the characters and not so much on the conflict.”

W:  What are your all-time favorite war movies?
Maj. Hormel: “Two of my favorite war movies are ‘Saving Private Ryan’ and ‘We Were Soldiers.’”

W:  Why is “Saving Private Ryan” one of your favorite war movies?
Maj. Hormel: “It focused on the characters and not so much the war aspect. Mostly, that’s my preference because being a solider is all about being a solider — not about the weapons or the conflicts. The reason most of us are in the army is because we like dealing with soldiers. That’s what appeals to me.”

W:  What would you say most war movies focus on?
Maj. Hormel: “I would say most movies I’ve seen do focus on the soldiers and how important the interactions between them are. I haven’t seen a lot of movies that focus strictly on the conflict.”