Battle for Haditha is a 2007 British drama film loosely based on the controversial Haditha killings of November 2005. The film was shot in Jordan in 2007, thus keeping an authentic feel with its Middle Eastern locations. The weapons were provided by a British armorer, Bapty & Co. of London, England. Directed by British film-maker Nick Broomfield, the film is shot from the perspectives of U.S. Marines, Iraqi insurgents and the Iraqi civilians caught in the crossfire.
The film stars former U.S. military personnel and Iraqi refugees in many of the main roles. Corporal Ramirez is played by Elliot Ruiz, a former U.S. Marine who was the youngest American serviceman in the Iraq War. Captain Sampson is played by Andrew McLaren, a former USMC sergeant and Iraq War veteran, and the platoon's Navy Corpsman, "Doc", is played by Thomas Hennessy, a former U.S. Navy chief petty officer.
The following weapons are featured in the film Battle for Haditha:
Beretta 92FS pistols (standing in for the U.S. military's M9 pistol) are used by some of the U.S. Marines during their raids. Oddly, a Beretta 92FS is later seen when a group of Iraqi men call for revenge on U.S. forces after they view an insurgent video about the civilian deaths caused by U.S. Marines, when a Russian or Soviet handgun (such as a Stechkin APS or a Makarov PM) would be more appropriate. This may be because the movie's armorer did not have any Russian or Soviet handguns available at the time.
Corporal Ramirez (Elliot Ruiz) uses a M16A2, modified with a foregrip and front rail system (standing in for the M16A4 MWS), as his main weapon. Other U.S. Marines use M16A2s with ACOG sights attached to the carry handle. M16A2s are also wielded by angry Iraqis in the aftermath of the killings.
Some of the U.S. Marines, including Sergeant Ross (Eric Mehalacopoulos) carry Colt Model 727s (standing in for the U.S. military's M4A1) with foregrips and ACOG sights attached to the carry handles.
Former Iraqi Army officer-turned-insurgent Ahmad (Falah Falyeh) and his partner Jafar (Oliver Bytrus) fire Norinco Type 56-1 rifles while making their escape after destroying a USMC humvee with an IED. Iraqi civilians and Iraqi Army soldiers are also seen with Type 56s at various points in the film.
In one scene Cpl. Ramirez examines a FN C9 light machine gun (standing in for the M249 SAW) with a fixed stock, distinguishable by its open sights. The C9 is also seen when U.S. Marines are practicing room-clearing techniques.
Browning M2HB heavy machine guns are mounted on USMC humvees. Note that none of them have any ammunition loaded throughout the movie; this is probably due to the fact that most of the movie's scenes involving M2HBs were shot in crowded public areas, and thus were not loaded, for safety issues, or the film armorer just did not have any ammunition available.
All of the Iraqi Army soldiers in the film are seen wearing the "three-color" DCU uniform, although at the timeframe that the movie takes place in (2005-2006), the Iraqi military wore the "chocolate-chip" DBDU uniform.
