Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Elliot Ackerman, a former Marine Corps special operations team leader, rates Marine Corps scenes in movies and television for realism.
Ackerman discusses the depiction of the Iraq War and the war in Afghanistan and connects them with his real-life experiences in the combat scenes in "Barry" S2E1 + E2 + E4 (2018), starring Bill Hader; the urban warfare scenes in "Generation Kill," with Alexander Skarsgård; the ambush and improvised explosive device (IED) attack in "Man Down," starring Shia LaBeouf; and the hostage rescue scene in "The Marine," with John Cena. He breaks down the realism of tactics in various terrains, such as fighting in the desert during Operation Desert Storm in "Jarhead," starring Jake Gyllenhaal; the maritime operation scene in "Heartbreak Ridge," with Clint Eastwood; and dealing with civilians in "Rules of Engagement" (2000), starring Samuel L. Jackson. He also looks at the accuracy of the depiction of Marine Corps culture, as well as the portrayal of historical battles, such as the boot camp scene in "Full Metal Jacket," with R. Lee Ermey as a drill instructor during the Vietnam War; the court-martial scenes in A Few Good Men," with Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise; and the depiction of the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II in "Flags of Our Fathers."
Ackerman is a Marine Corps veteran who served as an infantry officer and a special operations team leader. During his five deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, he was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with valor, and a Purple Heart. He is the author of multiple books that have received critical acclaim, often exploring themes of war, trauma, and the human experience.
You can check out Elliot's author page here:
penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2133889/elliot-ackerman
You can check out details for Elliot's latest book, “Sheepdogs: A Novel”:
penguinrandomhouse.com/books/775346/sheepdogs-by-elliot-ackerman
------------------------------------------------------
#marinecorps #militarylife #veteran
Insider's mission is to inform and inspire.
Visit our homepage for the top stories of the day: businessinsider.com
Insider on Facebook: facebook.com/insider
Insider on Instagram: instagram.com/insider
Insider on Twitter: twitter.com/thisisinsider
Insider on Snapchat: snapchat.com/discover/Insider/2708030621
Insider on TikTok: tiktok.com/@insider
Special Ops Marine Rates 10 Marine Corps Scenes In Movies And TV | How Real Is It? | Insider
Elliot Ackerman, a former Marine Corps special operations team leader, rates Marine Corps scenes in movies and television for realism.
Ackerman discusses the depiction of the Iraq War and the war in Afghanistan and connects them with his real-life experiences in the combat scenes in "Barry" S2E1 + E2 + E4 (2018), starring Bill Hader; the urban warfare scenes in "Generation Kill," with Alexander Skarsgård; the ambush and improvised explosive device (IED) attack in "Man Down," starring Shia LaBeouf; and the hostage rescue scene in "The Marine," with John Cena. He breaks down the realism of tactics in various terrains, such as fighting in the desert during Operation Desert Storm in "Jarhead," starring Jake Gyllenhaal; the maritime operation scene in "Heartbreak Ridge," with Clint Eastwood; and dealing with civilians in "Rules of Engagement" (2000), starring Samuel L. Jackson. He also looks at the accuracy of the depiction of Marine Corps culture, as well as the portrayal of historical battles, such as the boot camp scene in "Full Metal Jacket," with R. Lee Ermey as a drill instructor during the Vietnam War; the court-martial scenes in A Few Good Men," with Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise; and the depiction of the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II in "Flags of Our Fathers."
Ackerman is a Marine Corps veteran who served as an infantry officer and a special operations team leader. During his five deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, he was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with valor, and a Purple Heart. He is the author of multiple books that have received critical acclaim, often exploring themes of war, trauma, and the human experience.
You can check out Elliot's author page here:
penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2133889/elliot-ackerman
You can check out details for Elliot's latest book, “Sheepdogs: A Novel”:
penguinrandomhouse.com/books/775346/sheepdogs-by-elliot-ackerman
------------------------------------------------------
#marinecorps #militarylife #veteran
Insider's mission is to inform and inspire.
Visit our homepage for the top stories of the day: businessinsider.com
Insider on Facebook: facebook.com/insider
Insider on Instagram: instagram.com/insider
Insider on Twitter: twitter.com/thisisinsider
Insider on Snapchat: snapchat.com/discover/Insider/2708030621
Insider on TikTok: tiktok.com/@insider
Special Ops Marine Rates 10 Marine Corps Scenes In Movies And TV | How Real Is It? | Insider
