I forgot to reply to this in that the quotes weren't technically quoted.
the bridge shooter was not a "sniper". also, look at the quality of the in movie described "stragglers" left behind by the germans (truck scene). Who would the germans leave in the town? in a trap to draw in the Brits? we saw an evidence of a drunkard and a very young (read inexperienced) soldier. these were below average soldiers, probably left to bait the brits in. also, it's possible he was already wounded before the engagement started.
I know a lot of movie watchers have problems with this scene because we've been fed a regular fantasy diet of super soldiers snipers landing bull**** shots. there are tons of youtube review from actual snipers who debunk these movies all the time. The german, nor sco was an elite soldier, just an average dude, its the point.
Yes, my original post your response partially quoted addressed this before making the criticism. Perhaps not in as much detail as your text, but I figured my meaning would be taken for what it was intended as. And I had other issues with the movie, so felt any more details from me would be wasted on my points overall.
"I did question myself to recognize the likelihood of these "boys" just not being able to perform under the extreme burdens that war places on them; but, like I noted, it was just so frequent." As to the bridge shooter not being a "sniper," I meant a shooter firing from a concealed location. Sniping. I don't think I suggested training or marksmanship, or of super soldiers landing bull*** shots and, given my comment (quoted above) regarding that these "boys" dealing with the extreme burdens of warfare (whatever that may include), I took it for granted that that would be understood without defining nuances of exactly what I meant in response to what I watched. Still, that scene, in and of itself, was not necessarily the criticism I was making. That was only an example to highlight out of several encounters throughout the film that translated, for me, as plot armor.
That was what I had a problem with.
the milk left behind and sole cow survivor was intentional. in war, may mistakes are made. maybe a german soldier refused to kill the one cow, or it hid. life was still happening, even in the war zone. some civ milked the one cow left and fled and hid when they saw soldiers.
not every bucket of milk is a rigged grenade, every dead soldier is just pretend sleeping to ambush the heroes. this is tropes that have been used too many times; this movie went with a more realistic and better approach imo.
Fair, somewhat. Mistakes and life happens. Agreed. My issue was in how we were specifically told that German soldiers leave behind traps (for whatever exposition was given to imply the danger our two heroes risk) only a bit earlier in the movie within the bunker/cave. Both nearly died from such a trap. I felt that if that point
needed to be made for both the characters
and audience to be mindful of this risk, and seeing the consequence of ignoring that risk, then that lesson was illogically ignored a few scenes later
(unless that lesson was presented only to create a false sense of suspense once the milk was presented as a luring temptation. If that's the case, then I like this movie even less now!). Present a rule? follow a rule. Else, don't place so much focus on the rule only to arbitrarily (seemingly) dismiss that rule moments later. I'm only reading what I'm given to read by the writing and directing---using the lesson example provided to move the action of the story forward rather than projecting what
might have happened in a fictional off-screen character's motivation (or, worse, a sinisterly deceptive moo-cow) that I know nothing about. If it is a trope, it is one this movie exploited earlier setting
that precedent, and not what I brought into it as a viewer. I'm only going by what I'm given, first.
And to nail my personal view a bit harder, each of these scenes, in a vacuum, isn't necessarily a problem for me. It was the
cumulative effect these (and many others) held in breaking my suspension of disbelief.