"In the Valley of Elah" is a very strong and exposing movie. It shows how the law and political power influence the struggle for truth when the body of an American soldier is found ruthlessly killed, chopped up in pieces and left for animals to feed on. The movie portrays how the life of an Amercan soldier is during service, after service and from the families point of view.
How the war has an impact on young people is shown throughout the movie. Its not directly connected to the main themes and not what the director is focusing on, but it is very easily seen. The young soldiers show that the war is clearly having an affecting on them, both positive and negative. As they say, they create a brotherhood between them. A strong friendship based on loyalty, trust and staying alive. They talk to each other about things they usually wouldn't tell their parents and friends which shows that they're surrounded by people they trust. The war had a bad influence on many of the soldiers, they're stuck with memories of death, misery, torture and hate. A lot of what they experienced was even to hard to tell the other soldiers and stuck with them. The one who killed Hank's son even committed sucide before anyone knew he did it. I guess he didn't want to live with the guilt and hate he thought could never go away.
Other regular kids got introduced to the war and though that it was cool and they wanted to fight for the country and become a hero. Many others thought they fought a lost cause not worth supporting.
