While experiencing flashbacks from his time in Iraq, Officer Mike Banner responds to a domestic violence call in a bad neighborhood. He arrives, tension mounts, and the drunk, rage-fueled man (Constantine) charges Banner. Shots are fired. Constantine is down.
Banner uses his training as an army medic to help stabilize the wounds and enlists the help of his terrified son, Elijah. But it’s quickly clear that Constantine won’t survive for long. Banner — moved by the realization that Constantine is a fellow veteran — takes matters into his own hands.
“Caliber” is a story about a former army medic who is struggling to deal with PTSD while being a police officer. My goal for this film was to highlight a few important issues currently plaguing our society, the first being the mental well-being of our veterans. Many soldiers who return from fighting for our country come back with severe cases of PTSD that heavily interferes with their everyday lives. Many veterans struggle to integrate back into society and are unable to live normal lives. This theme is personally very important to me because my grandfather (whom I dedicated this film to) and cousin fought in the armed forces to protect our country and have struggled with these issues.
What I want the audience to walk away with after watching this film is the urge to demand change from their government for fair treatment of veterans. If someone puts their life on the line to defend this country, the least we can do is assure them that when they return home their wounds — mental or physical — will be taken care of.
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