There are some movies that you can’t say you ‘enjoyed’ no matter how good they are. ‘Lone Survivor’ is a film that, no matter where you fall on the political spectrum or your views on the war in Afghanistan, causes you to deepen your respect and gratitude for our armed forces. It’s almost cliché these days to say we support our troops. Some, who have views opposed to America’s industrial military complex, still give thanks and admiration to the people who serve. ‘Lone Survivor’ transcends all politics and viewpoints and shows the depth and quality of the people who serve. It doesn’t whitewash or paint them as saints, but it shows the type of people who give their lives for their country and to each other. I’ve always believed extraordinary situations bring out either the best or worst in people. This films shows the depth of the unshakeable fraternal bond between people who put their lives on the line for their country.
‘Lone Survivor’ is based on the true story recounted by Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell (played by Mark Wahlberg). It follows a routine (is there such a thing) insurgence operation in Afghanistan that spirals out of control when they are discovered by local goat herders. Given the choice of either releasing them and giving away their position or killing their captives, they choose to do the only thing the Articles of War allow and set them free. Within hours they are surrounded by hundreds of Taliban fighters and the fight for their survival begins. Despite all the fire fights and military themes, this is not an action movie. It is a story about the bond between soldiers and the extraordinary humanity they exhibit in an unthinkably inhumane situation. Often hard to watch, but at the same time mesmerizing, this ride is done with gritty realism as opposed to cartoonish super heroics found in most modern military movies.
Taylor Kitsch (showing he can act despite his recent series of flop movies) plays the platoon leader, Michael Murphy. Emile Hirsch plays Danny Dietz and Ben Foster rounds out the team as Matt ‘Axe’ Axelson. If I may take an aside, Ben Foster gives an incredible performance as Axe. He is a rising actor who will soon be a household name. He has respectable, but minor roles in superhero movies like ‘The X-men’ and ‘The Punisher’, but has continued to grow as an actor. His role in ‘3:10 to Yuma’ showcased his abilities and his turn in this film continues my respect for him. I look forward to seeing what comes next. Back to ‘Lone Survivor’, what these four assembled actors are able to do better than anything else is to bring depth and heart to these men. While it takes an extraordinary person to become a Navy SEAl, they have lives and connections that we can all relate to. We become invested in these men, which makes the horror of what they go through all the more excruciating.
My hats off to director Peter Berg for avoiding falling into any political view point traps. That would only have taken away from the impact. You know that these men would be the same people and doing the exact same thing whether their President was Democratic or Republican. Berg opens the film with a real footage montage of Navy Seal training. Understanding the pain and hardship these men go through to become SEALS is essential to our becoming invested in them as the movie starts. Berg (and of course the actors) is adept capturing the essence of the type of people who are able to become SEALS. While their interactions and relationships seem as ordinary as anyone else, we know they are far from ordinary.
I don’t like to lecture and say you ‘should’ see this film, but in this case I will make an exception. Memorial Day and Veterans Day are set aside to honor our military, but sometimes they are just abstract holidays for outdoor grilling and time off of work.. This film gives us a deep insight and appreciation for the armed services and the people who put their lives on the line everyday. Like I said earlier, no matter what your political views are, you can’t help but appreciate the men and women who make the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. They do so, often in anonymity, with little expectation of recognition or reward. I hope this will be considered one of the great modern war movies. Respectful, but without glorifying war. I highly recommend this film.
I give this film *** 1/2 stars
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