The Film
The most interesting aspect of Lebanon is that nearly the entire story takes place within the confines of an Israeli tank during the June, 1982 invasion of Lebanon. Whilst depicting Israelis, the story could ring true about any soldiers locked inside the metal beast. The view of the outside world is offered only through the gun scope and commander's sights. While this is intended to provide the feeling of being inside a tank in combat, it unfortunately confines the story. Any "tanker" veteran or those who know military history will also easily take issue with the fact that few, if any tanks in service in 1982, had room for the full crew inside a single enclosed space - not to mention that this must be the absolute worst tank crew in the history of tank warfare.
No disrespect is meant by this statement, but instead of following orders, the characters take part in endless debates, questioning and second guessing everything. This bogs down the story to the point that you lose sympathy for everyone. Finally, most good tank movies (and even the bad ones) typically show the commander where he should be, sitting in the open hatch of the copola where he can better see the situation around him. Of course doing so would break the tension, thus the artist license with the confined space. In the end however, the outside world feels phony, and the novelty of the limited view of out of the tank ends up being just a gimmick. Time for a quick retreat from this one.
The Picture
The film offers a claustrophobic feeling from beginning to end. It makes good use the "natural" - or would that be "unnatural" light inside the tank. This is notable as the filmmakers show reflections in the liquid (a mix of water, sweat, urine, blood and oil) on the floor of the tank, while also offering the outside world only as it appears through the scopes. As those take damage the image is thus less clear - while the picture itself it sharp throughout. Much is made of the use of the sunflower fields at the beginning and end of the film, and these are about the only break from earth tones - no doubt to show the "safety" the fields provide.
All this is brought to life in the 1080p 1.78:1 presentation. The film, and by extension, the Blu-ray, does an excellent job of making the viewers feel like they're trapped inside a tank. Apart from the aforementioned scenes there isn't much to behold however. Shades of black, field drab uniforms and a few instances of color, yet it works very well to show the horrors of war.
The Sound
There is a slight echo - which is what you'd expect - throughout the film, and the regular drone and hollowness of the radio. The roar of the engine and the instances of "action" are nothing short of intense. The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack does an excellent job - much like the visuals - of putting the viewer in the tank. There aren't a lot of ambient noises or sonic touches beyond just what is needed to immerse you inside the tank, but all this comes together very well.
The Extras
Like the film's main characters, the bonus features also seem to be locked away in a can. Other than a "making of" featurette - which frankly breaks the wall a bit too much, and really highlights the shortcomings - as well as a commentary with director Samuel Maoz, this one lacks any significant extras. While this is truly an anti-war film any background on tank warfare, the tank used, etc. would have truly helped the viewer better relate, particularly this viewer (have I mentioned my collection of military helmets and paraphrenalia?).
Final Thoughts
This story is based on the director's real life experiences, but it sacrifices so much reality - namely how tank crews operate (i.e. the commander in the hatch) - that it is really hard to appreciate what he did. This is meant to be an anti-Hollywood type of anti-war film, but in the end it just feels forced and poorly executed.
Product Details
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