Search - Corporal's Diary, The on DVD

The heartaches of war

Joy Y. Douangsouphonh | Lakewood, WA | 11/12/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This movie is very provacative in the sense that it is all true and is from a person who is living through his life through the military. His thoughts and comments are something that ALL soldiers have thought about when deploying to war zone. He is someone that we all shouldn't forget nor should we forget to think about. This movie gives the insight of a soldier and his true journey through the battlezone.

I have been to Iraq and fought with what Johnathan has fought and seen what he has seen, but I was lucky enough to escape it. The media has given society that the idea of war is something that is glorified, when in sense, we are eternally scarred. This movie does a great job in giving the viewer the true sense of what the war is really like."

Don't forget their sacrifice!

Nicole B. | Renton, WA | 11/11/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first saw this film at the Seattle True Independant Film Festival and it truly was the best film of the festival! It tells the story of young soldier Jonathan Santos in his words and through his eyes as he takes us with him to Iraq with the help of his private journal and personal camcorder. Jonathan and his buddies are a young, likeable group of men who's time in Iraq quickly takes a tragic turn. It's a beautifully crafted documentary that not only honors Jonathan's sacrifice but all of our soldier's fighting overseas.

Please note this movie is NOT: a pro-war movie, a pro-Bush movie, a pro-military movie NOR is it an anti-war statement. It is the unbiased story of this young man and his family's sacrifice, a sacrifice that civilians like myself may not understand until we see it safe at our home, on our television screens."

Important piece of film work

J. Rodak | Seattle-ish, WA USA | 11/12/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I spent two hours with Doris yesterday knowing that I'd be viewing the film that night on PBS. It was Veteran's Day and I wanted to finally meet her in person after a phone call right after Jon died. Four years later, it's still a fresh memory. My nephew boarded a bus to boot camp with Jon; they were from the same town and went through "early entry" together. I struggle with survivor's guilt because I got my kid back, and Doris did not. But there are lessons to be learned for everyone in this film, including me. Doris has an important story to tell about love, risk, sacrifice, perseverence, courage and healing. There are more than 4,000 Jon Santoses, but his story can serve as he did: a proud, if reluctant, symbol of an unnecessary war fought nevertheless by young people who were thrust into a world most of us could never imagine, but whose three primary goals were to serve country, protect each other, and come home to their loved ones. That Jon fell short in one of three does not diminish his first two. We love you, Doris, Chris, Leslie, Jared and Justin, and Jon will be with us the rest of our days, teaching lessons that go far beyond war."