Episode 2 : ‘The Cradle Of Civilization’ Review

Cradle of Civilization, the second episode in the series, provided us with the foundation for what we could expect in the upcoming episodes.

Beautifully shot, this episode featured a few melees, with a climactic battle through an urban sprawl. There were about three intense situations, first being when the Hummers are ordered to stop at the beginning of a town – literally like sitting ducks. The second was less tense, although quite violent, when the marines use a sniper rifle to take out two Iraqi Royal Guards, who were also spotting them.

And finally the charge through the last town center, was reminiscent of ‘Black Hawk Down’ and the backdrop of Mogadishu. An impressive sight.

The driver of the Humvee at the point, like in the previous episode, continued with his jibber-jabber. His name is Cpl. Josh Ray Person. Another like-able entertaining type, although his talking is almost at the point where he could turn into a hate-character.

His Sargeant Brad “Iceman” Colbert, as you’d expect is quite a serious dude. In this episode you could almost see the Iceman crack. His own superiors override his initial judgments, and prove to be wrong in making that decision. As a result he almost blasts his on barrage of stern words, but refrains courtesy of a fellow Marine by the name of 1st Lt. Nathaniel Fick. They are definitely buddies.

And last of all, we got to witness more of the rear driver in the 1st Humvee, Lcpl. Harold “James” Trombley. The quiet one, the young one, the impatient one, the naive one. Ready for battle, not knowing what to expect. It will be a spectacle when he does unleash.

I will leave you with a quote by Iceman:

“Gentlemen, from now on, we’re gonna have to earn our stories.”

Soundtrack for this episode:

• “Beyoglu”, written by Huseyin Erdinc Kamisli, performed by DJ Kambo. Courtesy of RipTide Music, Inc
• “Smoke Signals”, written by Dada Flair
• “The Marines’ Hymn” Traditional, written by Jacques Offenbach
• “Complicated”, written by Lauren Christy. Graham Edwards, Avril Ramona Lavigne and Scott Spock
• “Bodies”, written by Stephen L. Benton, Michael Jay Luce, Christian Joseph Pierce and David W. Williams
• “The Boyz in the Hood”, written by O’Shea Jackson, Eric Wright and Andre Young
• “Hot in Herre”, written by Charles L. Brown, Cornell Haynes and Pharrell L. Williams

~ by galacticplatypus on July 21, 2008.