10 Military Characters That Make National Service Look Terrifying

By Brogan Morris /

3. Brandon King (Ryan Phillippe) - Stop-Loss (2008)

As war movies set in the modern day tell us, you€™re actually quite likely to survive a turn in the military, especially if you join a force in the Western world, equipped to the teeth as they are with technology that€™s really, really kill-y. However, that doesn€™t necessarily mean you won€™t be forced back into action against your will. If Stop-Loss is a fairly middling film, then it€™s because it acts only to highlight America€™s stop-loss policy, whereby infantrymen can be forced back into active duty after their contract runs out, for the reason of €œjust because€. So, after serving like a hero and watching his pals die horribly at the hands of the enemy, Brandon King is stop-lossed back into action faster than he can call €œbullshit€. The helplessness of King€™s situation makes the idea of National Service doubly terrifying, as years of bloody fighting could still be met with an €œoh well, back you go.€ Scarily, this one has basis in fact, with America's stop-loss policy still in operation even now.