Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
Director: Nicolai Fuglsig, Roadshow Entertainment.
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Peña, David Negahban.
This is an intense, serious war film that’s quietly impressive. Hemsworth (Star, Thor, The Avengers) plays Captain Mitch Nelson and Shannon (Revolutionary Road, Nocturnal Animals) as Hal Spencer star in this declassified true story of the first American soldiers sent into Afghanistan. It’s set in the harrowing days following the September 11 attacks.
Leaving their families behind, the team is dropped into the remote, rugged landscape of northern Afghanistan, where they must convince General Rashid Dostum (Navid Negahban) to join forces with them to fight their common adversary: the Taliban and their Al Qaeda allies.
In addition to overcoming ‘mutual distrust and a vast cultural divide, the Americans—accustomed to state-of-the-art warfare—must adopt the rudimentary tactics of the Afghan horse soldiers. Despite forming an uneasy bond and growing respect, the new allies face overwhelming odds: vastly outnumbered and outgunned by a ruthless enemy that does not take prisoners’.
This is a well-made war movie with effective characters, an abundance of realistic action that’s gripping and heroism that exists, but is discreet.
The film is based on Doug Stanton’s non-fiction book Horse Soldiers that tells the story of the U.S. Special Forces team sent to Afghanistan immediately after 9/11.
It’s clear to see why 12 Strong is drawn from a true story where you really “had to be there” to believe it.
