Film
Review by Kam Williams
Adaptation
of Best Seller Chronicles Exploits of Special Forces Unit Deployed to
Afghanistan
A
few days after 9/11, President George W. Bush visited Ground Zero
where he delivered his iconic Bullhorn Speech standing atop a pile of
rubble. Rising to the occasion, he assured the rescue workers and the
rest of America that those responsible for the senseless slaughter
would soon be held accountable.
Less
than a month later, the first contingent of soldiers was dispatched
to Afghanistan. Their top secret operation, code named Task Force
Dagger, called for them to be dropped off behind enemy lines where
they would rendezvous with a ragtag local militia led by General
Rashid Dostum (Navid Negahban). Dostum was understandably-skeptical
of the newly-forged, Northern Alliance's expectations to topple the
Taliban regime in just three weeks.
The
American Special Forces unit, composed of a dozen elite soldiers, was
led by Captain Mitch Nelson (Chris Hemsworth). He was not only
confident that the mission would be successful, but made the bold
guarantee that no one under his command would perish in battle.
Because
of the rugged terrain, they would be forced to negotiate their way
through the mountains on horseback, which also enabled them to blend
in with the locals more easily. Whenever encountering the Taliban,
they were invariably outnumbered and outgunned. However, according to
plan, they were always able to improve their odds by calling for air
support from B-52 bombers.
Thus
unfolds 12 Strong, a true tale of extraordinary heroism in the face
of overwhelming odds. Directed by Nicolai Fuglsig (Exfil), the
picture is based on "Horse Soldiers," Doug Stanton's best
seller chronicling the declassified exploits of a brave band of
brothers.
The
action-oriented saga stars Chris Hemsworth and an impressive support
ensemble that features Michael Shannon, William Fitchner, Michael
Pena, Rob Riggle and Trevante Rhodes. Reminiscent of such John Wayne
classics as The Longest Day (1962) and Sands of Iwo Jima (1949), this
unapologetically patriotic war flick is a crowd-pleaser most likely
to resonate with the flag-waving 'God, mom and apple pie'
demographic.
Very
Good (3 stars)
Rated R for violence
and pervasive profanity
Running time: 130
minutes
Production Studios:
Alcon Entertainment / Black Label Media / Jerry Bruckheimer Films
Distributor: Warner
Brothers Pictures
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