Director: Rod Lurie
Starring: Scott Eastwood, Caleb Landry Jones, Orlando Bloom
Running Time: 123 minutes
Synopsis: During the Afghanistan War, the US Army establishes the remote Kamdesh combat outpost, ostensibly to reach out to local leaders and help with reconstruction efforts. Situated in a northern valley surrounded by mountains, the outpost is an easy target for Taliban militants. The soldiers at the base learn to deal with daily enemy small-arms fire, but are wary of an impending large-scale attack. That day arrives in October 2009, and 53 US soldiers have to defend the base against 300 Taliban attackers.
What Works Well: Based on an actual Alamo-like battle known as the Battle of Kamdesh, this is a gritty ground-level war movie. The first half establishes the outpost routine, a combination of brotherhood bravado, isolation, clumsy attempts at connecting with locals, daily skirmishes, sudden losses, and the realization that something really bad is inevitable. The second half is fully occupied with the few-against-many battle, and director Rod Laurie covers the chaos and bravery up-close with mobile cameras that join the scattered American soldiers as they desperately attempt to fend off the enemy and save the fallen.
What Does Not Work As Well: Although focus eventually settles on the heroics of Staff Sergeant Clint Romesha (Scott Eastwood) and Specialist Ty Michael Carter (Caleb Landry Jones), this is an ensemble piece placing the collective ahead of the individual, at the cost of any meaningful character depth. Too many soldiers and micro-actions compete for limited time and space, while the opposing side is reduced to a context-free rampaging horde.
Key Quote:
Sergeant Romesha: Every time they take a pot shot at us, they're figuring us out. When the big one comes, they'll have us dialed in.
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