Lone Survivor (FILM REVIEW)
Lone Survivor
Film Review
by Kam Williams
Mark Wahlberg Stars in Adaptation of Memoir about Ambush of Navy
SEALs in Afghanistan
On June 28,
2005, a team of Navy SEALs based in Afghanistan
were issued orders in accordance with Operation Red Wings to locate and
terminate a Taliban leader whose militia had been targeting coalition troops in
the Kush Mountains
of Kunar Province. The four were then dropped by
helicopter line into rugged terrain outside the tiny village suspected of harboring
Al-Qaida sympathizers.
Soon, the
soldiers crossed paths with several shepherds and, against their better
judgment, allowed the seemingly innocuous civilians to continue on their way in
accordance with the U.S.
military’s rules of engagement. Unfortunately, about an hour later, the SEALs
found themselves ambushed by over a hundred Taliban fighters who had apparently
been tipped off as to their whereabouts.
The
ensuing, epic battle is the subject of Lone Survivor, a gruesome war flick
based on Marcus Luttrell’s (Mark Wahlberg) memoir of the high attrition-rate,
harrowing ordeal. Adapted and directed by Peter Berg (Battleship), the picture
is most reminiscent of Black Hawk Down, another grim film about an American,
overseas helicopter operation gone bad.
Given this
movie’s title, there isn’t any suspense about how the disastrous misadventure
is going to end. Consequently, the viewing experience amounts to little more
than squirming in your seat while watching members of Luttrell’s unit perish,
as well as over a dozen of the reinforcements sent to try to rescue them.
A
practically-pornographic tribute to fearless, fallen heroes strictly for
patriots with a strong stomach for gratuitous violence, however accurate.
Good (2 stars)
Rated R
for graphic violence and pervasive profanity
Running time: 121 minutes
Distributor: Universal
Pictures
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