People John Hillcoat on Crime Thriller “Triple 9” Recoil Staff March 5, 2016 Join the Conversation At RECOIL, we review every product fairly and without bias. Making a purchase through one of our links may earn us a small commission, and helps support independent gun reviews. Read our affiliate policy. Find out more about how we test products. John Hillcoat, Director of such movies as the Road and Lawless, recently spoke to Military.com's Under the Radar about his new movie Triple 9 (which we talked about a few months ago). The film was apparently written by a military veteran of Iraq, which we hadn't realized, and centers on protagonists who are SOF (Special Operations Forces) veterans. Although some of Hillcoat's misnomers will understandably draw the ire of purists and the detail-oriented (he refers to an Atlanta police “tank” for instance) and the references to PTSD and the “militarization of police” are somewhat predictable, it's interesting to read his thoughts. Says Hillcoat, The script was written by Matt Cook, an ex-military guy who has actually served in Iraq. He saw a lot of action. In fact he lost three quarters of his platoon in the first firefight that they had. Matt had a friend who was a cop, who told him about the Triple 9. That just raised the potential for quite a moral conundrum. The whole criminal landscape in America and globally has changed and A lot of criminal gangs, the Latino cartels and the Russian/Israeli mob and groups like that, have actual paramilitary backgrounds. So that ramped up the stakes. And the higher the stakes, the more prone people are to corruption. What Matt tried to bring in is the way that the police force has really changed over the years because of the war. In places like Iraq and Afghanistan, a lot of military guys come back and have no proper support and are looking for where they should go from here. We wanted to be very truthful about that. A lot of these guys have crossed a line that’s very hard to return. They’re looking for the action and where the action is. You can’t just erase your experience. The training is so profound with cops and military, they rely on the person next to them. Matt explained to me how deep and important that bond is. I wanted to represent that in the story and be truthful about that, the way that even the characters that have moved on and become police and have become corrupted still actually struggle with what they’re doing because of that training and that moral conundrum. Read the rest of Jim Barber's interview with John Hillcoat right here. Why you can trust RECOIL Since our founding in 2012, RECOIL remains the premier firearms lifestyle publication for the modern shooting enthusiast. We deliver cutting-edge coverage of guns, gear, accessories and technology. We go beyond basic reviews, providing no B.S. buyer’s guides, hands-on testing and expert analysis on everything from firearms and survival equipment to watches and vehicles. Our reviewers are the backbone of our operation and come from diverse shooting backgrounds: Former law enforcement, military veterans, competitive shooters, seasoned hunters and plain old firearms enthusiasts. Furthermore, we’re not just gun experts, but dedicated journalists who adhere to the strictest standards of our profession. At RECOIL, editorial independence is the foundation of everything we publish and the cornerstone of reader trust. Our editors, writers and content creators make all editorial decisions independently, free from outside influence. That boils down to: advertisers don’t dictate our coverage, the outcomes of our reviews or what we recommend in our buyer’s guides. First and always, our commitment is to our audience—ensuring every review and article is accurate, unbiased, and driven by real-world experience. Whether you’re selecting your next firearm, upgrading your gear, or exploring the latest innovations in the shooting world, RECOIL provides the trusted insights you need to make informed decisions. Learn more about our Editorial Standards and how we review products. NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Target Pack from RECOILFor years, RECOIL magazine has treated its readers to a full-size (sometimes full color!) shooting target tucked into each big issue. Now we've compiled over 50 of our most popular targets into this one digital PDF download. From handgun drills to AR-15 practice, these 50+ targets have you covered. Print off as many as you like (ammo not included). Get your pack of 50 Print-at-Home targets when you subscribe to the RECOIL email newsletter. We'll send you weekly updates on guns, gear, industry news, and special offers from leading manufacturers - your guide to the firearms lifestyle.You want this. Trust Us.
