Lone Survivor

****
Release Date: January 31st 2014

Marcus Luttrell and his team set out on a mission to capture or kill notorious Taliban leader Ahmad Shah, in late June 2005. Marcus and his team are left to fight for their lives in one of the most valiant efforts of modern warfare.

Director: Peter Berg (Battleship, Hancock, The Kingdom)

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster, Eric Bana, Alexander Ludwig

I'm not sure if the Taliban are the real enemy in Lone Survivor. Yes, the Navy SEAL's mission is a simple one; to eradicate a Taliban chief, but it's a moralistic decision that turns their 'straightforward' assignment in to living hell.

The turning point comes when three locals stumble across the quartet, Marcus Luttrell (Wahlberg), Michael Murphy (Kitsch), Danny Dietz (Hirsch) and Matt Axelson (Foster). The decision they make with what to do with the Afghans connected to the Taliban is conscientiously the right one but you can't help thinking did they make the right choice?

What develops after their judgment is an hour long gun fight that rivals the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan. It's chock-full of flying bullets and intense explosions. Based on a true story, Lone Survivor hits home more so than if it was an over-dramatised, patriotic piece of fiction. There are no steady, clear shots. We're in the heart of the battle, supporting these brave soldiers. Peter Berg does a fine job placing us there, as the shaky cam ducks behind foliage, swerves to avoid bullets, or pans to bullets hitting their mark, all in glorious first person viewing.         

The team's escape is blocked by terrain and the surrounding Taliban. In order to withdraw from the battle, they need to jump off a very steep cliff. In doing so they endure more pain and suffering from nature than they did from other humans. Your emotions will feel battered as they hurtle in to trees, smash against rocks and nearly break themselves in the process. You may go in to this feeling comfortable but by the end you'll feel the agony.

The second half of the film takes a different turn as the title of the film comes in to place. The overall pace changes. The roller-coaster may have ended, but safety is still not guaranteed. Not enough time is put into this second sequence, so as soon as a heroic act is made by local villager Gulab (Ali Suliman), we don't get time to enjoy it, as our heads are still spinning from previous activity.

At the beginning of the film, we see honest, good men going about their business sharing a joke or two. There is no room to get to know anyone else, let alone the main four. Eric Bana shares a smaller role with newcomer Alexander Ludwig (recognisable from The Hunger Games). Fantastic performances help bolster the audience's connection with the characters. This is easily Wahlberg's finest acting to date. He's surely becoming one of the best actors in Hollywood.

Overview: One of the fiercest wars films since Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima, this will please if your a fan of the genre, or a fan of emotional strain.