“12 Strong” is one of the better war movies I’ve seen in a long time.
I had the opportunity to catch an advance screening with some coworkers and fellow film connoisseurs last night.
I’ve been hyping this movie like crazy. The first trailer hooked my interest, and I couldn’t let go. The Chris Hemsworth-led film centers around the first 12 American soldiers on the ground in Afghanistan after 9/11, and it largely portrays the fact they had to use horses to fight against the Taliban’s tanks, artillery and massive amount of men.
One of the guys I went with, a fellow lover of films, was playing devil’s advocate and making me question whether or not I was viewing the film through a clear and unbiased lens. Had I made the expectations for this film too high? After all, I had pretty much suggested this looked like one of the coolest movies ever made.
The decision was made for our ragtag crew of four to head to the theater and find out for ourselves. The time for debate was over. We showed up a little late because some people’s ability to navigate D.C. traffic and judge time wasn’t up to an elite level, but that’s a story for another time.
WARNING: there will be mild spoilers going forward. Consider yourself warned.
There are lots of great things about “12 Strong.” Lots of them. The cinematography is nothing short of incredible. The action scenes are shot in a way that makes you feel like you’re right there in them. The crack of the rifles and the explosions feel incredibly close and real for the audience. The camera shots of the helicopters dropping in the 12 soldiers and picking them up on their way out are both awesome. I believe the cinematography is probably the film’s greatest strength. The actors also look the part. I had no problem believing that these 12 men were soldiers on the ground laying the groundwork for the invasion of Afghanistan after 9/11. I know several guys in the special forces community, and the actors pretty much nailed the look, attitude and humor. The don’t come across as robots. They come across as regular guys with an extraordinary job. That’s the perfect way to play it. Way too many war movies try to have the Americans always seem like hammers without personalities just out to kill. “12 Strong” does an excellent job of avoiding that easy trap.
The movie also does a great job of showing how the Americans had to build relationships with the Northern Alliance and General Dostum. “12 Strong” doesn’t sugarcoat anything. The audience isn’t left with the impression that we’re about to be left with an easy war in Afghanistan. It’s the exact opposite. Dostum even makes it clear there is plenty of trouble ahead, despite the fact the Americans and Afghan allies rocked the Taliban and al-Qaida.
Of course, no film is perfect. There was some corny dialogue that is standard for most war films, but it’s a minor thing to pick at.
The credits rolled after the 12 Americans made it back to base outside of Afghanistan, and we then found a place to grab some beers to discuss the movie. The group seemed to settle on the fact “12 Strong” was somewhere between a seven or eight out of 10. Not a bad score at all, especially considering we’re a pretty critical group when it comes to rating movies.
Personally, I gave it a 7.5/10. I loved the cinematography, action scenes and the realism I felt with the characters. That’s more than enough to overcome any shortcomings in the movie.
I can safely say that “12 Strong” is absolutely worth checking out. It is scheduled to be released across America Jan. 19.
