Lone Survivor

Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on March 2014

A war movie for those who like them visceral and real, this is the true story of a Navy SEALs team (Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch & Ben Foster) tasked in 2005 with killing or capturing a high-value Taliban bad guy in the Hindu Kush. A freak occurrence involves them in a firefight against vastly larger numbers, and the hunters become the hunted, resulting in the title situation. Reminded me at times of Black Hawk Down. This is a competent, modest movie that appreciates what these guys do. It has no politics or moral message, just battlefield realism presented with frightening intensity. (120 min)