Director and writer, Andrew Nicoll, (Gattaca) (S1m0ne) who also penned the screenplay “The Truman Show”, takes us into the mind of Major Thomas Egan, (Ethan Hawke) an Air Force officer stationed in Las Vegas, Nevada. A former F16 Falcon pilot, currently assigned to “fly” the armed MQ-9 Reaper, a drone that patrols over mainly Afghanistan, destroying suspected terrorist cells, suspicious vehicles, and in some cases, innocent women and children.
Major Egan is an experienced solider, several tours of duty, performing face to face battles in the air, and currently grounded to a little tin trailer in the dessert, sitting in what appears to be a flight simulator, though actually is an elaborate X-Box, pressing a button and killing human beings thousands of miles away.
In fact, drone technology is taken directly from the designs of the X-Box, and many new recruits have been poached from the gaming world – teenagers adept at games like Doom or Ace Combat, having never physically left their respective bedrooms, now murdering “real terrorists” as opposed to the pixel, virtual variety.
After viewing this film, my first thought, aside from a feeling of disgust, was the title should be “Easy Kill” rather than “Good Kill”.
The narrative gains momentum when the CIA steps in ordering dubious targets to be destroyed, “off the record”. Military standard practice for legal reasons and otherwise, is all missions must be recorded for review. Major Egan and his crew have now become “Black Operatives”, engaging in questionable missions, “illegal” missions, and it is here that things begin to fall apart.
“Good Kill” raises several issues on the War on Terror. These issues will not be addressed here, suffice to say, however, my criticism's has always been directed at military imperialism and the murder of innocence in war, on both sides. The latter is addressed poignantly in the film.
For those interested in Drone Warfare, its technology and practice, “Good Kill” is recommended. That said, the film's ending is most certainly worth the price of admission.
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