Director: Peter Berg
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Ben Foster, Taylor Kitsch, Eric Bana, Jerry Ferrara, Emile Hirsch
Certificate: 15
Running Time: 121 minutes
Special Features: Will of the Warrior, Bringing the Story to Light, Recreating the Firefight, Learning the Basics, The Fallen Heroes of Operation Red Wings, The Pashtun Code of Life, Feature Commentary with Writer/Director Peter Berg
LONE SURVIVOR isn’t quite what you expect from the usual American-military approach and although definitely celebrates the Navy SEALs and patriotism, also quite thankfully keeps us fully aware of the unforgiving reality of war from the true story that it’s based on. Taken from the best-seller by Marcus Luttrell and Patrick Robinson, the film tells the development of real events on an ill-fated covert mission to take out high-ranking Al Qaeda leader Ahmad Shahd, in June 2005.
Very unluckily, what starts as the operation soon becomes a suicide mission as the band of brothers lose communication to their back-up, and consequently face an intense and unpredictable outcome. As they unintentionally get pulled into a fierce gun fight with the Taliban, they either have to give themselves up or literally fight for their lives.
Beyond the horrific reality, it’s important for any military movie to find a moment that gives the audience a way in and it does happen here. What’s interesting here is that it’s not necessarily for a specific character (despite the obvious big name of Mark Wahlberg as the real-life survivor Marcus Luttrell) but due mainly to astute character portrayals from all who are authentic and stick to their beliefs. There’s also no moping with backstory, sure it’s rightfully there but where Michael Bay ramps up the cheese-factor, Berg keeps the story true to its origins and finds a solid, real heart.
The war in Afghanistan is still incredibly relevant and even though LONE SURVIVOR generally reflects the reality of troops on the ground – in this case American marines – being thrown into overwhelming situations, it also highlights and balances that this isn’t just an ‘us against them’ position as the story also points out that Afghans’ are fighting their own people to live.
LONE SURVIVOR also impresses visually as the brutality of their effort to escape isn’t toned down. The scenes where they are literally throwing themselves down a slate-covered cliff to escape certain death are both captivating and shocking but leave us with sheer admiration for their desire to survive. For this quintessential war story, Berg offers both the viewer an insight into these brave soldier’s lives, what they sacrificed to try and live and the truth of a conflict that we really shouldn’t be involved with. Saying that, the film gives them all a memorial in the best possible light and I’d hope their family are proud of what they gave in the name of a better, safer world.
[usr=4] LONE SURVIVOR is released on Blu-ray and DVD on June 9th.
