War Is Hell—And The Mosquito Bowl Won’t Let Us Forget It
Peter Berg's World War II movie is awash in violence. But when it comes to depicting war, less is often more
"The Mosquito Bowl" is a film that explores the true story of four young football stars who enlisted in the military during World War II. Directed by Peter Berg, the story focuses on four real-life figures: Dave Schreiner and Bob Bauman, teammates from the University of Wisconsin, Tony Butkovich from Purdue, and John McLaughry, a Brown University graduate who had already been drafted into the NFL.
The title of the movie refers to a legendary football game between two Marine regiments at Guadalcanal, which took place on Christmas Eve, 1944. Of the 65 men who played in the Mosquito Bowl, 15 were killed on the island of Okinawa. Berg takes his time introducing the main characters, showing their different personalities and backgrounds.
The film's depiction of the brutal realities of war is intense and visceral, with numerous graphic battle sequences that leave no detail unexplored. However, the most exhilarating section of the film is the Mosquito Bowl game itself, where the players are able to momentarily escape the horrors of war and have some fun. Berg's decision to depict the brutality of war in such detail raises the question of whether more is indeed more when it comes to depicting the atrocity of war on screen.
While some well-placed depictions of combat atrocities can be haunting, too much violence can come across as padding and detract from the core message of the film. The Mosquito Bowl is a poignant reminder of the devastating impact war has on young men, stripping away their boyhood and leaving them to face the brutal reality of combat.
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